Today on the Whimsical Twist Blog!

There is a new challenge going up on the Whimsical Twist blog today -- and it's all about TEXTURE.  I love me some texture and dimension (don't even ask how many rolls of foam tape I go through!) so I was excited to create an inspiration piece using burlap (so autumnal!) and the new Family Traditions line by Adrienne Looman for Webster's Pages.  The full layout is up on the blog -- so go check it out and be sure to enter your own creation for a chance to win a Whimsical Twist gift certificate.

Happy Friday!

Let's celebrate friday with some exciting news -- I'll be joining 7 other awesome ladies as part of the 2013 - 2014 me & my big ideas design team!  

I'm so pumped and honored to have this opportunity!  I won't lie -- I've been admiring the work of several of my team members from a far for a while and can't believe that we get to be on the same team now!  Hello star struck!

Check out the post with all the team members on the mambi blog: www.meandmybigideas.com

Happy Friday and Shabbat Shalom!  <3 <3 <3

Fall Card

Fall is my hands down favorite season.  I love apple cider, the smell of fireplaces, the crisp autumn air, sweaters -- I love everything about fall.  I thought I would make a little card to celebrate my favorite season.  Again, I am a novice card maker, so don't be too harsh.



Stamping on cork gave me a messier impression than I was hoping for, but the look grew on me.  The gold leave is a button that I had left over from another project and the Bronte quote is from a MAMBI sticker set.  Firstly, a Bronte quote -- that's awesome.  Secondly, a Bronte quote about my favorite season ever -- that's swoon worthy!

Here is what I used:  Cardstock by American Crafts, Martha Stewart baker's twine, Glitter tape by American Crafts, a leaf button, sticker by Me and My Big Ideas, Cork sheet by Recollections,  a crazy old stamp set that I have no idea where it is from,  Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and sequins.

I Love You So Very Much

This is one of those layouts that came about as I tried to kill the last bits of a kit and was really stretching.  In the end, though, I think I'm actually rather fond of it, although I'll admit I had mixed feelings for the majority of the time I worked on it.  That pink background paper was my jumping off point.  It was the last whole sheet I had left and I needed to use it.  And in theory it's very pretty and fun and funky, but I had the hardest time working with it.  It wants to take center stage but I wanted it to be background but still shine.  The end product isn't anything I'd submit to a publication or anything, but I'm happy to flip through my album and see it.  

The butterfly was cut from the same painted paper I used on my "beach baby" layout earlier this year.  I'm really embracing the pink/orange color scheme it seems!

Playful

More of Crate Paper's The Pier on this layout -- I just love that line and I want to use every scrap up before I find something I love more.  Which you and I both know will happen -- so use it up now I shall!  I'm not one to hoard.  But we are getting down to scraps, so this is a very scrappy sort of layout.

Most of these papers were in July's Citrus Twist Kits Main and Pocket Life kit.  I added a few embellishments from my personal stash (like that starfish brad -- how sweet of a little detail is that?  And don't you just love doily sequins?)  As you can tell from the past few layouts, I've pulled out my little pouch of MME titles and have been putting them to work, too.   Summer is coming to an end, so I'm trying to finish up most of my summery layouts.  There are so many great Fall products coming out and I can't wait to cut into them!

How Did You Turn Out So Wonderful?

Yes, that is the same photo as on the last layout.  It's one of those poorly printed Sam's photos -- but I wanted to use it because even though it printed pretty dark, it's not terrible.  And I can always look at my baby's pretty face!  This layout has fun hidden journaling.  That card with the string pulls out and is a little love note to my girl.

I Love This

Oh man, if ever there was a layout that was unequivocally "me", this is it.  Bright colors, bold graphical patterns -- I am in love.  IN LOVE.

I colored some Studio Calico cork arrows with pink market to get it to match the trimmed down MAMBI card title.  The background are also MAMBI cards from their pocket series.  I love love love the colors. There are some stickers from a MAMBI baby set, too -- and some MME enamel dots.  Gotta love dots.  

Also, how cute is my baby, people?  She's the real star of this layout.  <3

You are so very unique.

Happy Friday the Thirteenth!  OoooOOOOOoooooOOOooo!  I have something not at all spooky or haunted or full of bad omens and luck to share with you today.

I don't know why, but I just love this layout.  It makes my heart sing, just a little bit. I think it's the gesso mixed with pink painted on -- it has good texture.

 The background paper is from The Pier collection, and the bits behind the photo are from my scrap bin.  I used a good deal from my July Citrus Twist kit with this one, including the little packing tag that is up in the corner.

OMG I made a card, yall.

I have never made a card in my life before today.   I am applying for a design team that would pretty much be my DREAM if I got in, (because they have lots of colors!  Man I love colors!) and they want two cards.  I'll admit it; I don't know jack about card making.  I'm sure there are some techniques that people use and know and are very uptight about, but I just messed around until I found something that I thought was pretty groovy.  Which, I guess, turns out to be a great big "Dream Big" card.

The butterflies are punched from a sheet of paper I covered with washi tape strips (a by-product of my first, failed card) and I used a MAMBI card from their pocket card series as the sentiment.  I liked how the colors are bursting from the black box -- it's like the dream is flying free with the butterflies.  YES PEOPLE, THAT BAKERS TWINE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF HOPES AND DREAMS.  (That is in all caps and italics because it gave me a PTSD art school flash back.  There was this one time, I kid you not, that this one kid pulled out a giant knife in figure drawing studio, slammed it into a desk and just stood there.  Which, you know, at the school I went to could have been A+ work for concept studio.  So I think everyone just ignored it.  But back to the card...)

I think in an ideal world I would have figured out how to glitter it somehow, but I needed to do it fast to get it in on time, so here it is.  It's not so bad for a first attempt.

Today on the Whimsical Twist Blog!

I'm posting over on the Whimsical Twist blog today with a step by step tutorial on how to make a cute little ribbon banner embellishment with your scrap chalkboard paper.  You won't believe how easy it is to make this cute little guy!  Come visit me over there!

Shrimp Night: Sketch Fusion

For this page, I did something that I don't do often -- I used a sketch. I've heard people rave about Alison Davis' sketches so I bought the Simple Stories Sketch Fusion book to give it a try. I had a whole pile of Simple Stories I Heart Summer to use up (I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot on this blog) and a whole lot of photos from vacation, so Alison's picture heavy style seemed to suit my needs. My first attempt came out like this:



It's interesting.  Not really my instinctive style, but not unpleasant.  I won't say its one of my favorite pages ever, but it certainly serves its purpose of telling the story and showcasing lots of photos.

7 photos on one page.  That might be a record for me.  Although I did NOT enjoy all the resizing of photos.  I'm a 4x6 print and go sorta girl. 

I would also like to point out that I do not normally eat shrimp.  One time a year only -- and it's so I'm not left out at Andy's families big shrimp event.  Shalom Bayit, y'all.  Also, that shiz is delish.

Right now I'm not sold, but I have two more sets of photos resized and ready to go for two different sketches from the same book.  I do admit that it's good for vacation where you want to cram a lot of images in a small space.  I'll probably use the sketches for that again.  It won't become my normal mode of scrapping though.  I missed the creating.  It just felt too paint by number for me to use with any regularity.  

Fun in the Sun: Chalkboard Challenge

There is a super fun chalkboard challenge over at Whimsical Twist starting today.  I'm in awe of people who can make the chalkboard look work, and there are lots of great examples by my fellow design team members.  My layout uses mostly Simple Stories Hello Summer, which has a few chalkboard elements.

Pull out your chalkboard papers and embellies and enter the challenge.  You can win $15 to spend in the Whimsical Twist store -- and that can get you quite a little pile of goodies!

Daddy's Little Love

Well, even though the photo sucked (I thought I'd give Sam's Club printing a try  -- WAY DARK WHOA) -- the layout came out kinda fun.  I think I might pull off the dark photo and put a decent version on instead.  I like that you can print a 16x20 at Sam's for 4 bucks -- but if this is the standard quality I'm sorely disappointed.  I'll give it another shot, though.  Lots of The Pier on this one, a little I Heart Summer, some Studio Calico cork embellishments, and a Lily Bee Rub on that is probably as old as the earth itself.   The bunting was the handmade item in the June Citrus Twist Kit and is super cute -- looks good here, I think!