Vacation Faces

Summer Vacation could not have some soon enough for my girls.  The end of the school year is always such a whirlwind with the last Dance Competition of the year, and the Kickit Dance Recital following closing behind, all while final exams and projects are being written and presented.

 These two had fun the first day off hanging out, and walking to the corner store to get slushies.  Of course where you have slushies, you have coloured tongues.  And that equals a little photo op.

 I created this layout in 2 steps, first the background using Pink Paislee Atlas Collection.

I then created a photo cluster to place on top.  Here I've layered 2 cards from the Insta Kit pack.  I've set the acetate globe card directly over top of the navy card to use as my base.  Everything else including that fabulous cork, with gold fleck sentiment is layered on top of that.

I tucked a my shipping tag, filled with journaling behind my photo cluster and used this great chipboard piece to create a second cluster to balance out my layout.

Would you like to try your hand at replicating this layout?  Hop over to the Pink Paislee blog to see all the DT layouts shared during our month long Summer Series sessions.  You can find mine here.

Still looking to get your hands on this great collection.  Have a peek in the Paper Issues store.  Use code:SHERRI and you'll save 20% off at the same time.

Thank you for popping in today friends! Pin It

A card for the Graduate

I wanted to share a quick card I created a couple of weeks ago for the first little girl to steal my heart.

I cannot believe Miss Maddy has graduated.  I tried to create a card that reflected how beautiful she is; inside and out.  This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

I used some Crate Paper goodness along with some Simple Stories.

I couldn't be more proud of this intelligent, quirky, kind, compassionate, funny, adorable girl if she were my own.  I love you Miss Maddy, and can't wait to see the adventure your dreams will take you on, as you follow the will of God for your life.  Australia is not even going to know what hit it when you arrive!

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Poolside Fun

I am up on the Paper Issues blog today with a few DT friends showcasing the gorgeous new Crate Paper Poolside collection.

I was so happy to get this collection in the mail the same week as by baby girl's birthday. I knew I was going to have a little photo shoot with her and her friends, and that this collection would compliment the photos nicely.

I have a handful of fun photos from Eden's birthday that you are sure to be seeing over the next little while.  I love that her birthday is in June, she's the only one that gets outdoor photos when her special day rolls around.

Whenever a collection has several elements to it, I cannot help myself for layering away to my heart's content, incorporating a little bit of everything.  On my layout I've used the gold glitter vellum, the 6x12 accent sticker pack, several elements from the ephemera pack, included the word "fun", two of the gold metal tab clips, and a couple of wood buttons.

See what I mean, Summer in a collection.  There are actually a number of fabulous Summer collections out there, this just happens to be my favourite at the moment. Some others you may be interested in are stocking up on through the Paper Issues store are:

Fancy Pants - Summer Sun

Fancy Pants - Making Waves

Simple Stories - Summer Vibes

Kaisercraft - Fiesta

Pink Paislee - Citrus Bliss

And that's just to name a few.  Once you've got some Summer memories you're ready to start preserving Paper Issues has got you covered.

Don't forgot to use code:SHERRI at checkout to save yourself 20% off everything in your cart!

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Celebrating Thirteen

I have a teenager.  A second one, in fact.  When did I become so old?  I don't feel it (at least not most days), but it's a fact my sweet little Bean turned 13 recently.

She chose small and simple.  Five friends and bowling, followed by cake and gift and a sleep over.  It was easy peasy, my favourite kind of party.  My girls will not grow up remembering the amazing parties I threw them as they were growing up.  No, but the will hopefully remember the way I loved their friends.  They way I encouraged them to make our home their home.  And these 5 girls were no exception.  Théa has made such great decisions with her friend choices.  These girls are sweet, and kind, and respectful, and just enough crazy and loud for her personality.  Having them over for the night was a no-brainer.

I recently spoke about my rule of how to create great layers that work.  Here is another example: six layers that don't add a lot of bulk to my page because they are different sizes and shapes.

I have found that a great way to adhere the acetate sentiments is to add thin strips of double sided adhesive behind the thicker portions of the font, so it is completely invisible from the front.  In this case I used one that is a 1/8" width. It' super tacky, so therefore I really didn't need too much to ensure a good hold to my patterned paper. 

My layout is based on the April Sketch.  You still have a little time to link up your own take in the comments on this post for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the Paper Camellia store.

Thanks for stopping by today friends!

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Some Really Good Friends

Although I really think a mini album is in order to document all the our sweet girl went through a few weeks ago, I've started to get some of the event & emotions tied to it down on paper with this layout created for the {aflairforbuttons} blog.

I was really wanting to work with the Pink Paislee Summer Solstice collection for this layout, and discovered that I had not purchased many embellishments for some reason, just the gold puffy stickers.  No worry, one look through my flair buttons and I quickly came up with Cork flair, a perfect match for these colours and patterns.  Cork is an easy texture, and colour to mix into many types of crafty projects.

How great is this arrow from the Cork 1 flair set?  I could have an entire package of just this one button design and I would be a happy girl.

Cork 1 flair set

The love button from the Cork 2 flair set expresses exactly how I feel about each of the girls in this photo.  After several days of our 12 year old being in so much pain, and a failed trip to the emergency room, we finally got Théa admitted to the Children's Hospital where they performed a CT scan that revealed a mass.  This was the beginning of a nerve wracking week, but at least we knew the pain was being managed until surgery could be performed one and a half days later.  The night after she was admitted, her 2 besties came to visit.  It was a most welcome visit for all of us, and an important night to document.  Thankfully she is home and almost completely recovered now.  Someday I'll document the whole thing, as a wonderful reminder of all that is precious, and how grateful I am the the many ways so many of YOU supported us through it

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Sweet & Simple

Today, I want to share with you a couple of sweet & simple layouts using the Penelope collection by Elle's Studio.  As a scrapper who likes to add a lot of layers and embellishments to my layouts, I found that there was really not much that needed to be added with these layouts as the papers are already so detailed. They made for a couple of quick and easy layouts featuring some of my favourite kids.

There are so many sweet saying on this piece of background paper that I really wanted to showcase it on this layout.  Adding a bit of the graph paper helped to ground my photo and journaling, so as not to lose any of their details.

I hand cut these hearts from one of the sheets and added some 3D foam dots to make them pop.

One of my favourite things about Elle's papers is the printed tear strips, they make for fun extra elements to add to your page.  Both the star and scalloped strips here, are just extra little tear strip pieces.

Next up, I wanted to use this pre-printed background sheet. I added a piece of patterned paper from the collection to the inside of a glassine bag to tone down it's boldness and get it to work with my chosen colours, and design.

Meet our little neighbour girl. She has 2 brothers and on this particular play date she snuggled up to Eden and exclaimed to her mother that she wished she lived with us so she could have sisters.  Little sweetie.

I thought I needed just a touch of pink on this layout, and the packaging from the little polaroid frames provided just the touch I needed. 

Once again the tear strip from the bottom of this sheet made for the perfect touch on my layout.  Add a couple of buttons and baubles, and done.

I hope this encourages you to dig into your stash and revive an older collection while you wait too.  If you're all caught up and ready to get your hands on some new product, hop over to the Paper Issues shop, where you'll find all sorts of new goodies waiting for you including Lawn Fawn dies, and papers Kelley Purkey's Second City Collection, and Crate Paper Notes & Things, with more arriving all this week. 

Thanks for stopping by today friends!

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#Happiness

The moment I opened by Chic Tags box of new collections I fell in love with  Cloud 9.  So many "happy feeling" colours, papers, and embellishments.  I knew I needed to find a photo that evoked the same kind of feeling.

My friend Tara exudes happiness, she's one of the happiest people I know. Nothing gets her too down, and she brightens the room wherever she is.  She has a kind heart, and gentle spirit.  She laughs easily and is just plain fun to be around.  These photos are from the Winnipeg Crop & Create event in April, a little scrapping, some delicious food, chatting with a table full of friends, and lots of laughs.  A weekend well spent.

Acetate tags, flair buttons, rub-ons, label stickers, and delightful wood sequins.

The wood veneer shapes are so cute too.  Here I simply used a little chalk ink to add colour and help them pop off the page a little better, especially that little cloud that I layered over top of the cloud paper.  A little mist, and a few pieces of bling here and there and I have one happy layout to remember our fun weekend crop.

The Cloud 9 Collection can be found in both the Chic Tags store, and the Paper Issues store where you will receive 20% by using code: Sherri

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Summertime Awesome

The Paper Issues crew are fortunate to have Simple Stories sponsoring our current issue: It's Raining Cats & Dogs.  We were even more lucky when they decided to throw in some Summer themed goodies for us to play with.  I dug out one of my favourite un-scrapped photos from last summer and set to work.

I chose to go with a grid design to best showcase the collection.  The "awesome" is a veneer that I had left over from an older Basicgrey collection, that I embossed in a coordinating colour.

I grabbed my sewing machine to add a little more dimension to the cards.  I doesn't happen often, but when Belle still lets go and really had fun with her friends, I have to do all possible to try and capture it on "film".

I used pop dots to make the cute embellishments stand out from the page.  Isn't that sun cute?  

Hop over to the  Paper Issues blog to see more projects showcasing the fabulous Simple Stories product.  Linking up with this issue will earn you a chance at a Simple Stories prize package, there will be 3 up for grabs: 1 for a dog themed layout, 1 for a cat themed layout, and 1 for projects that fall within the "other" category.  While you're there you may want to pop into the store and grab some of these great products for yourself.  Remember to use code: SHERRI at checkout to save 20% off your order, and all US orders over $60 before discount ship for FREE.

Thanks for stopping by friends.  Happy crafting!

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Chic Tags & Maya Road Swap

We've got another product swap to share with you over at Chic Tags.

Teaming up with Maya Road was a super fun idea.  I've always been a fan of their embellishments.  Here are the projects I created with goodies from both companies.

Meet my friend Shannon.  She and her family have done life with us for the past 14 years.  Our families have such a nice time when we're together, kids, dogs, and all.  Last August she took her family, and transferred job positions to one in Calgary. I miss her so much.  Life is busy these days, which isn't too much of a change, but it sure is nice to have that person in your life that when you're together you each enjoy the time so much.  Chatting, learning, challenging, and encouraging one another.  I was so happy to receive her text saying she was going to be in Winnipeg for one night recently.  We had the chance to meet for supper, catch up and just enjoy the short time we had together.

The chipboard words, and hearts were so great for embossing.

Burlap, felt flowers, and twine?  Yes please.

As is a habit of mine, I placed my journaling on a hidden tag behind the photos.

And here is my second layout.  My favourite photo from our Fall photo shoot.

I just love the looks on the girls' faces as they threw the leaves around.

I used my silhouette to cut leaves out of gold cardstock, and vellum.  The Happy Place tags are perfect for journaling.

This time rather than embossing the chipboard words, I simply used my Tim Holtz blending tool to add a little distress ink to them.  That cute little ampersand stamp is by Chic Tags, and I may or may not be hoarding a few of those Maya Road heart pennant clips.

Now be sure to pop over to the Chic Tags blog to enter for your chance at the Happy Place collection we're giving away to celebrate our blog hop with Maya Road.  And don't forget to pop over to the Maya Road blog also to enter their giveaway, and see what they're talented crew has created using our Chic Tag products.  Good luck to all.

Thanks for stopping in today friends! Pin It

A Creative Scrappers reveal & a freebie

This week's sketch is one that I know I want to use again.  I loved it, and know I would never have come up with the idea on my own.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again Jenny is a sketch queen!  Between her and Kristine, I've created layouts that would otherwise have gone un-scrapped. I am so thankful to both of them for the chance to work with sketches that, at times take me out of my comfort zone.

(please excuse the poor lighting, without the right equipment getting a great photo of a white background can be tricky this time of year here in Manitoba)

I used BasicGrey's RSVP collection, and several pieces of the February Paper Issues Swag Bag to complete this layout.  The Swag Bag is a monthly embellishment bag that Cassie puts together filled with fun little, currently hot & trendy bits and pieces to add to all of your crafting projects. It's only $10, even less if you use my code: SHERRI.  Speaking of the Paper Issues shop, have you seen all the great new goodies Cassis has loaded into it?  All the 2014 CHA goodness is starting to arrive.  You can use my code to save 20% off everything you order. Check it out for yourself here.

I just love the Maya Road love paper clip.

How cute is that mini bingo card?

Here is Jenny's fabulous sketch.  

I loved the background so much that I created a cut file to go along with it. If you have a Silhouette Cameo, and would like to use my cut file also you can download it here.  I hope you'll enjoy it.

Remember, if you play along with us this month you will earn yourself a chance to win a kit from Paper Camilla Kits.  You have until Feb 28th to link up a new creation using either one of the February CS Sketches.  You may link up as many times as you like, as long as long as each project is a new creation.

Now hop on over to the Creative Scrappers site to see the rest of the DT creations.

Happy Sunday friends!

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Creative Scrappers - Sketch #257

It's a fabulous day for a reveal wouldn't you say?  Creative Scrappers has a new sketch for you to play with this week.  Here is my take on it using Fancy Pants, one of my new favourite manufacturers.

This is Eden and her little buddy Sarah immediately after after Sarah's crafty/dancey birthday party. They were getting a little nutty with the bling.  Of course being me, I had to snap a few photos.  I love that they 'get' each other.

the star is a Chic Tags rub-on, and the flair is A Flair For Buttons

The sketch was so simple, and easy it felt a little weird to not add a bunch of layers and embellishments, but it did feel great to complete the layout so quickly.  That's the best thing about sketches, and the Creative Scrappers challenge site.  They allows you to experiment with designs that are out of your usual area of comfort.

And here is Kristine's original sketch.  You can see that all I did was flip it to the left. 

Our sponsor this month is The Twinery.  

And they have a fabulous prize pack up for grabs from one lucky winner.  The winner is drawn at random and you may enter as many projects as you'd like, the only requirement is that we can still see the original sketch in your creation.  Hop over here to get all the details and see all the scrappy goodness our DT came up with for you this month.  And don't forget to link us up on Instagram and Pinterest, we love to see your work on the web, and you never know you might just be our featured layout.

Thanks so much for popping in today.  Happy Sunday.  I'm most looking forward to getting our Christmas tree today.  I just doesn't feel like Christmas yet, decorating and adding that wonderful Christmasy scent to the house will quickly change all that. Pin It

Stick Together

As promised here is the last of my layouts created with the We Are Family Kit by Scraptastic Kit Club.

Such a fun combination of colours, that I don't think I would have thought to pull together on my own.

Hard to believe this photo is 6 months old.  Crop and Create - Winnipeg was such a great time. Catherine and her team put on an incredible weekend for scrappers to come, learn from well known, super talented teachers, hang with friends, and eat like royalty.  There are a ton of prizes throughout the weekend, and of course the highly coveted "pink bag" full of goodies for each person in attendance.  I first joined my friend Nicole for one in Saskatoon last November, and was immediately hooked.  The atmosphere, the food, the people, the prizes....they sucked me in.  So I convinced 7 of my friends to join me for the April event here in Winnipeg.  We had a blast.  It was also the first time I was able to meet the super sweet Kristine Davidson of Creative Scrappers, would you believe she flew all the way from New Brunswick to join us?!  She's awesome like that.  Because Jody, Tara, and I all had a connection to her through the world wide web, we thought it only appropriate to get a few pix in the trademark photo booth.  (I have more photos from that booth with the rest of my peeps for the life of me, I could not make the layout work with all of them, so I removed the 2 smaller photos and just stuck with the larger one, another layout will follow with the others.)  Can't wait for April, so we can do it all over again.

Thanks for stopping in today friends! Pin It