Apron Strings Designs - July Sketch Layout

Hello Hello!

Here is my July layout for the Apron Strings Designs monthly sketch challenge. Only rule was to use an Apron Strings Design kit! (which you should really subscribe to - they're GREAT!!)

Anyway, I hope you like it. If you want to know the details on the papers, you'll have to run over to http://www.apronstringsdesigns.com/ and their descriptions will give you all the details. I will try to edit this post and give you more info, but right now, that's all I've got!

For the story behind the layout - all the girls on the layout are named Amanda! My daughter is the one by the penguin, the other two - her two best friends! At least I know I can just yell Amanda and get them all!!

As always, thanks for visiting!

Apron String Designs - Week #3

Hello everybody!! If you have been ready my blog at all, you may be aware that I have been participating in the Apron Strings Designs 10 Week Sizzling Summer Challenge. This is week three and the challenge was to use at least 3 circle elements on your page, as well as using an Apron String Designs kit!

I used the February 2008 Smaller than a BreadBox kit (to view visit http://www.aprongstringsdesigns.com/ - it will tell you exactly what the papers are and where the come from). Everything on this was from an ASD kit, except the ribbon, which came from a local Michael's. I did use extra rhinestones, but they had been leftover from another ASD kit!

There are actually 39 circle elements on this kit - 18 are the paper border at the bottom, the rest are the rhinestones. This does not actually count the circles that the circles make onto the base cardstock! You will, however, notice that the green half circle that "joins" the pages is not in the pictures below. I added after taking a picture of the layout together and realized it was the only spot without the overlapping circles so it was added later.

I added these two pictures at the bottom so you could also see the pictures. So you know what is going on, we went to Boston today to visit the New England Aquarium. We bought membership last week and went back again this week with a couple of friends. While we were there last week, we noticed people (mostly kids but some adults too) playing in this "fountain". So when we went today, we were sure to bring the kids bathing suits in case the opportunity to play in the fountain arose, which it obviously did. This is my daughter Amanda and her friend, also Amanda! They had a blast! My little boy was also there, so you will be seeing a layout of him in this same fountain very soon I am sure!

I really love how it came out - I hope you do to!! As always, thank you for visiting!

Happy Independence Day!!

Yes, I know I'm a day late! It ended up being a busy day. I do have a red, white and blue layout to show you though! This was a challenge from Apron Strings Designs - part of their 10 week sizzing summer challenge. It was to use red, white & blue on a layout, and you got extra points if it WASN'T a Fourth of July layout.

I had actually been holding these papers to do this layout - I just hadn't gotten around to scrapping the picture! This was a trip to Fenway Park last September. I actually got to go with work, we had a luxury box and it was GREAT!

Anyway, onto the details of the layout. As I said, it uses and ASD kit - Doodlebug Papers and Paper Frills (Doodlebug is one of my favorites!!). It also uses a "B" Boston Red Sox bottle cap - I am unsure who makes these. Everything else (except a couple of extra frills) came from the Apron Strings Designs kit! The extra frills were purchased at http://www.cropstop.com/. Obviously, the ticket was "courtesy" of Fenway. (HA!)

Thanks for visiting!! (keep coming back - big news on July 15th!!!)

BLOG CANDY!!

Hi All!! I have had two different blog candy posts and the first winner never claimed the prize and I totally forgot to even pick the second one....so, I repicked the first...the NEW winner is:

JenMarie of Taylor~Made by JenMarie - out to her today went the Birds & Swirsl embossing folder, a large Li'L Davis Designs flower, hummingbird stamp, MM eyelets and Forget-Me-Not Doodlebug Mini Brads!

The winner I totally forgot to pick is:
Deb of What Can It Be Now - out to her today went a bunch of flowers, ribbons, Inspirables, and whatever else I stuck in the envelope and can't remember now!

Thanks for visiting and stop again soon...I am feeling the need to give away MORE blog candy! And there's something special coming by on the 15th of July, so be sure to stop by then!

Last Sneak Peak for July Stamps!

Here it is! Last sneak peek - and you can buy this set over at Clear Dollar Stamps tomorrow!!!

I really enjoyed making this card! I love the way it came out with that vineyard of grapes as the centerpiece!! This sentiment is also in the set - "celebrate!" - you can use it for anything!! This really is a great set with outlines and solids to make really great creations! As you can see, I stamped the grapes onto twill for a custom ribbon!

So make sure you stop by Clear Dollar Stamps tomorrow and see all the new releases!! There are a couple I am going to be grabbing - so make sure you get yours!

Hope to "see" you again soon!

Sneak Peek #3

Here it is - the third sneak peek for Clear Dollar Stamps' Just Divine, which will be released on July 1st!! Make sure you get over there to get your stamps and click the links on my side bar to see the rest of the work by the design team!

This card was a color challenge for the Design Team - and I don't think it was an overly "grape friendly" challenge - but I think it came out pretty good!!

I am not sure you can read it, but the sentiment says "I like you a whole bunch". It is actually on one-line on the stamp set, but I had no problem stamping and masking so I could put it on two lines. It is done with stazon ink and the little slide it is on is available at Clear Dollar Stamps (www.cdstamps.com).

Thanks for stopping by!! And again, don't forget to go over to Clear Dollar Stamps on Tuesday for the release of all these fabulous stamps the design team has been showing you over the past couple of days!

Two Challenges!

I was able to get two layouts done yesterday (actually I got more done, but I have to save some stuff for "special occasions"!), both for challenges.

The first one is for CPS. I think I went off sketch slightly on this one, but I think the basic of the sketch is still there - probably (hee hee). Anyway, even if I am off sketch, the inspiration came from CPS's weekly sketch.

The worse part, I have no clue where most of the supplies came from - the cardstock is Bazzill, I think the patterned paper is SEI. Both were purchased from www.allthatscraps.com. The white cardstock is more than likely CTMH. Ink is stazon - colored with SU markers. Buttons and ribbon were in the stash!

The second layout was for a sketch challenge (Weekly Challenge #10) over at 4 Scrappy Sisters. I can tell you the kit (papers, cardstock, photo clips, orange plastic circle and chipboard) is from Apron Strings Designs. Letters are CTMH cardstock, QK Diesel Alphabet, stamped with CTMH stamps (May SOTM). Dew drops are from www.cropstop.com.

I will be showing another sneak peek for Clear Dollar Stamps later today, so you might want to be on the lookout for it!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Another Sneak Peek!!

Sneak Peek #2 - this is a place card using the new - not yet released - JUST DIVINE set from Clear Dollar Stamps (http://www.cdstamps.com/). Quite simple - I used pop-dots for dimension on the grape bunches. The "dad" stamps is from their monogram "D" set - which is retiring so if you want any of them - gotta run and get them PDQ!

I will have another sneak peek tomorrow!!! It was a color challenge - and it wasn't overly "grape" friendly, so I hope you like it!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

SNEAK PEEK!!

As I announced earlier on my blog, I have the absolute DELIGHT of being a Guest Desiger for Clear Dollar Stamps (http://www.cdstamps.com/) this month! I worked with a set called JUST DIVINE and I will tell you it is Just Divine! :)

I purchased this alterable frame from my local A.C. Moore, and decorated it with just four of the many stamps that come in this set. There are several phrases, grapes, leaves (as you can see from above) vines, etc. The ribbon is white grosgrain and that clear slide is available at Clear Dollar Stamps!

It is an absolutely GREAT set! It will make it's debut at Clear Dollar Stamps on July 1st! Be sure to be there on the first to get yours!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mini Pizza Box....

I found the directions on how to make this on Jen del Muro's blog!! It was quite simple actually but REALLY REALLY cute. I do believe she created it herself. (Thanks for sharing Jen) The picture isn't the best and I will try to get a better one over the weekend. It ends up being about 4" square when you're done with it.

I made this with my Apron Strings Designs June Kit (you should go further down my blog - there are several other projects on here using the June kit). The flowers was made with my Scalloped Circle nestabilites and the sentiment is PaperTrey. The button was in the stash but looks like Doodlebug to me. The ribbon that goes around the edge of the box (you can't see it very well in this picture) is from Savvy 'n' Sassy.

Thanks for visiting! Hope to "see" you again soon!

As American as Apple Pie!!!

One more Box in a Bag! This one is specifically for the Design Team at Clear Dollar Stamps - they just rock!! You should check out their blogs...there's a link on the left side of my blog.

This one is made with the Clear Dollar Stamps Patriotic Nuggets set (to purchase for yourself, go to http://www.cdstamps.com/), Blue Jean Doodlebug flowers, CTMH white cardstock, Bazzill Blue textured cardstock and red, white & blue ribbons and a red button from my stash! I am hoping you can read the words, in case you can't I will tell you that the stamps say We Love Our Troops and God Bless America.

Thanks for visiting!!

Box in a Bag

I saw this on somebody else's blog, and it let me to a tutorial on someone else's blog! I don't recall who, but I will see if I can find it so I can give credit where credit is due!! (And so you can have the tutorial for yourself!)

I found the link - the credit goes to Paula Goff at Inking Addict!

http://inkingaddict.blogspot.com/2008/06/would-you-like-to-made-box-in-bag.html

Anyway, I used one of my June Apron Strings Designs kits. (you get three sets every month!!) Had I used a paper that was a little more plain, I probably would have decorated it more than I did, however, since this had these BEAUTIFUL flowers as a bottom border, I thought it was perfect as is!

The only thing I added that wasn't in the kit was the ribbon on the top. And the top tabs were punched with a Uchida tab punch!

This second one was made using the same Apron Strings Designs kit - paper is a little busier but I felt it could be embellished, so I added the clear tags and chipboard shapes as well as a few cute little blings! {all from the Apron Strings kit too}

Thanks for visiting!!