Oh Snow Happy

Today I am up on the Paper Issues blog with their January Sketch and I absolutely LOVE this sketch.  I stayed pretty true to the sketch, but added the patterned Carta Bella woodgrain snow border because it was too good of a paper not to use more of it!
Here's my take on the sketch:

I started off with big drops of white pearl acrylic paint and let that dry while

 I was cutting snowflakes from several Paper Issues free cut files. (Drop Down Stitching, Winter Wisdom, Very Merry Holiday, and Snowflake Grid.)

The beautiful January sketch from Paper Issues:

Have you cut apart Thicker words to create your own?  For this title, if you look closely, I cut the word snow from three different words and it saved me from finding alpha stickers to coordinate!

I love capturing fresh snowfall pictures and printing them in black and white.  

This lended itself to being a neutral monochromatic design.  

The white on white background was a fun change from using lots of color.

 By slightly lifting/lightly gluing the snowflakes, 

they provide depth and texture behind the focus of the photos!

Also, be sure to grab the 3-dimensional snowflakes from Crate Paper FaLaLa collection

 from the PI store, I adore the pop it adds to the snowflakes on the page!

I can't wait to see your take on this month's sketch!  

Swap out the snowflakes for hearts, circles...what else can you add to your background?

Join in on the fun in the PI Facebook group.

The January challenges are sure to spark your creative juices.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Now, onto shopping!!

Stop by the Paper Issues store to check out

 all of the new collections and download free cut files, too!

The best part--everything you purchase is 20% with 

code: Stacie 

Happy New Year! Get in Motion!

Happy New Year!
I am up on the Paper Issues blog with a new challenge.

This January Challenge is all about things in motion.

I don't know about you, but coffee is what signites me into motion each day!

Motion or movement on the page could also be interpreted as the repeated circles and patterns on the page. The Joyful cut file includes circles that I cut in varying sizes and cut the coffee cups and sleeves into circles to layer around the photo.  For this design, I used two large coffee cups.

I started with white gesso on the red patterned paper to soften the edges around the circles.

 Next, I added  the splatters. 

I dry them with a hair dryer after each color of splatters so they don't smear/blend.

 The paint is watered down acrylic paint in red, black, and green.

Yes, total advertisment for Starbucks.  This is my third yearly design using their special cups.

This year, I had to document trying a new flavor: Juniper Latte. 

Also, I love that it shows I was drinking more coffee at 4 pm!! 

Tis' the Season to need

more hours in the day to do all the things!

 Yes, I agree--coffee=magic!

Love these Christmas Thickers in a wood tone color from Crate Paper Merry Days.  The mini foam alpha from Pink Paislee are perfect for secondary title words!

Make the 1st day of the new year a great one with

time to create and play along with the new

  January Challenges in the Facebook Group.

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Need retail therapy? Gift cards to spend?

Save 20% on all purchases in the Paper Issues store.

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Favorites of 2018:Picks for My Top 9 Designs

Happy New Year!

I have had a busy year and did not make as many layouts as I did in 2017,

 but I need to count up my stacks before I get them into albums

 to see what my final count is for the year!

As for my favorites, that is always hard to choose.

These are similar to what the Instagram top 9 ended up being for me as well!

Here are my top layout designs choices of 2018.

Notice my go-to choices??

Three were made with Paper Issues swag bag kits! 

They are absolutely my favorite kit to create with each month.  

Have you tried one?

My top 9 from Instagram posts:

Things I notice as I browse through them all-

Yes, I still love a good woodgrain background!

  Yes, I still love some rainbow color on my designs. 

Yes, to free PI cut files.

Yes, to kits to speed up the design process!

 Yes, to paint and painted stripes.

Yes, to sprinkling on enamel dots and shapes!

Have a wonderful New Year's Eve!

Here's to more creative play in the new year!!

Check out more at Paper Issues.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stacie

Free File Friday: Sweet Moments

Hello! Deccember is flying by and it's time to document 

more sweet moments of the season. I am up on the Paper Issues blog today 

with a free file Friday post.

The December Paper Issues kit, Hard Candy is absolutely fabulous

 and so easy to create pretty pages or projects with! 

The Candy Cane Hearts cut file is the perfect addition

 to the sweet treats my son was decorating with in the photo. 

The Kaisercraft ephemera pieces are so lovely for layering

 and adding details to add to the holiday vibes!

How about the sweet gingerbread cookie ephemera?? 

 I mean how could I not add the perfect sized Amy Tangerine mini bow to the gingerbread person!?

Yes, you need mini bows.  They are so cute on everything!

The woodgrain paper included in the December kit was so easy to match up with this gingerbread themed page. I used machine stitching around the border to off-set the backgrounds with the powerful red polka dots behind this layer.

I released the compound path on the candy canes and created a solid layer for the candy canes. To tie in the white, I added the white acrylic paint splatters and the snowflakes for a visual triangle. The cut file snowflakes are from Snowflake Grid free file.

Thanks for stopping by the blog.  I can't wait to see how you use Paper Issues free cut files in your holiday projects.

There are so many ways to layer cut files, alter them, super-size the design... the ideas are endless.

Here's to hoping your Friday is fabulous!

Happy Holidays!

Stacie

Swanky Swatches: Magical

Hello! Today I am up on the Paper Issues blog with a new layout based on this month's swatch colors!  I couldn’t wait to look through my holiday photos to find one to coordinate to the swatch and use the new Paper Issues December scrapbook kit "Hard Candy"!  I drew inspiration from the swatch colors as well as the wreath image!  Scroll to the end of this blog post for the December swatch!

 The Lawn Fawn patterned paper trees are so much rainbow fun and a great option away from the typical green and red!  I love mixing the enamel dots in to further add colors to the design.

I layered the free PI cut file bud wreath, which included the inner circle to cut the Lawn Fawn patterned paper to size. Get out that thread and add messy strings as well as stitching to add texture.

The watercolored Kaisercraft ephemera pieces are so beautiful and mix right in with other collections.  I recommend stocking up on extra Kaisercraft items in the store before it's gone. 

 It is such a pretty holiday collection.

 The December kit includes Pinkfresh wooden alpha stickers and they are the cutest!

 The small size is perfect for smaller titles and using to layer just as I did on top of the photo. 

I also layered the Magical title word on top of the photo and it is from the Joyful free cut file.

I wanted to remember this sweet story of a giving man

 who noticed us at church Christmas Eve and

 asked if we would enjoy a day at the nearby LegoLand since he works there. 

He rounded up six tickets for us and it was a fabulous

 95 degree day in LegoLand to end our holiday vacay in FL.

Some people are truly magical!!

 I hope you will check out the December challenges

 on Paper Issues Friends and Fans Facebook album and play along.

  Swanky Swatches is a great place to start. 

The color swatch and images are instantly inspiring!!

Thanks for visiting today!                       

Play along with all of the December challenges and tag us on social media. 

I love to see what you are creating!  

I hope you grabbed your December scrapbook or swag bag kit!

 If not, get one today for 20% off, 

use code: Stacie