Seasonal Expressions Blog Hop

 
For this hop, I'm using some of the new Heartstrings paper and the new Hopscotch paper from the  Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book that went live the first of December. If you're coming from Tonya's Blog you're on the right track!


I wanted to scrap a newborn baby girl picture with the pretty rose patterned paper. The Whisper color didn't look quite right with the cream background of the picture so, I decided to add some Colonial White from the Hopscotch paper pack. Since it was a baby girl all dressed in pink I thought it needed some Pixie cardstock.

You almost can't tell where the cardstock ends and my wall begins!

Here you can see the white shimmer trim that I colored with a Shin Han marker to change to color to pink. I promise it matches better in person than it does in the photograph.

Close up so you can see the tiny hearts I added to the scallop circle and the bitty bling as well as the rose.

I used both the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and theArtbooking Cricut cartridge to cut out some of the decorative elements for this page.

Thanks for stopping by! Please, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. Head on over to Melissa D's Blog and see what pretties she's got for you! 

CTMH Paper Focus Blog Hop - Snowhaven

Here's the hop for the paper pack Snowhaven. I hope you're enjoying the hop if you've come from my Heartfelt Sentiments Blog. This month, Close To My Heart is celebrating 5 years of Studio J. So, to celebrate myself, I'm creating layouts in Studio J that are only 5 bucks for each 2-page layout. Here are some icy pictures from 2013 that go great with the Snowhaven paper.

Later on this month, be on the lookout for some Christmas cards I'm going to design in Studio J. What better time than the month of November to start getting those Christmas cards ready!

Hop on over to A Little Scrapping Haven to see what Melissa has been up to!

Pathfinding - CTMH Paper Focus - Blog Hop

Welcome to the Heartfelt Sentiments Team's monthly blog hop featuring a paper pack from Annual Inspirations. If you're coming from Melissa Robinson's Blog you're on the right track.

This month we're featuring Pathfinding paper in our hop. So, I was trying to come up with an idea for something cute when I realized I had never made a layout with Artbooking, one of CTMH's exclusive Cricut cartridges. Well, actually I have at the Album Retreat. But, all the cutting was already done for us. I've never cut the pieces out and planned how I would use them on the layout. Well, let me tell ya, it is the easiest thing in the world! I basically just went by the layout in the booklet...what could be easier?

Well, I did make several changes and added a few things here and there so it's not an exact copy of the layout in the instruction booklet. But, you know how it goes when you start cutting things out and some things fit and others don't. And, you know me...I even had to go get out an extra sheet of Olive cardstock from my stash. I hope you like what I've created. And, if you've been thinking about one of CTMH's Cricut cartridges for yourself, you won't go wrong by purchasing it! Just don't do like me and not get around to trying it out.

Now hop on over to A Little Scrapping Haven to see what Melissa David has been up to. Be sure and leave a comment if you like what you see!

September 2014 Studio J blog Hop "Anything Goes"

At last we've decided to have a Studio J Blog Hop! It's your typical hop with a Studio J twist. This month it's anything goes. In the future, we hope to have themes so you can see lots of ideas on how to do a particular skill in Studio J.

If you've come from Adeline's Blog you're on the right track. If you click the next link in the post, you'll make a complete circle and end up right where you started.

My selection is a layout with pictures from a couple of years ago. What better way to get caught up on your scrapbooking than Studio J? This is a layout anyone can easily create for themselves! Enjoy!

The picture with Kaylie blowing out her candles was originally a spot for 2 photos, but I just had one. I used the same photo in both wells but increased the percentage of it and moved one to the left...the other to the right until they matched up. That cropped a lot of the distractions in the background out. I played with the size and placement a little until the front of her face wasn't cut down the middle where the background shows between the 2 pics. I could have changed it to be just one photo well by increasing the width of one of the photo wells and deleting the other. But, I liked the look of it with two.

I'd love to show you how you can get caught up with your memory keeping!  Check out Studio J and see if it's something you'd be interested in using...it costs nothing to try!

Now, hop on over to Julie's Blog to see what she's been up to in Studio J.

Team Paper Packet Focus : Timberline

It's our monthly team focus of paper from the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book and Catalog. If you're coming from Judy Faye's Blog , you're on the right track!

This month we had our choice of Timberline or Skylark. Both of these paper packs are my most favorites in this issue of the Close To My Heart Idea Book. Since I had the perfect photo for Timberline, I decided to do a one-page layout with the Timberline paper on Studio J for my entry in the monthly blog hop. Timberline was perfect for scrapping this kayaking photo. I got creative with the Stickease in the online scrapping software to make a cute watery border at the bottom with the same Stickease that I used in the title. And, I also created a jagged accent on the left side by layering the trees Stickease.

I hope you've enjoyed my latest Studio J layout! You can discover for yourself how easy it is to scrapbook your memories neatly and quickly by going to my website. To continue on the hop, click HERE and it will take you to Melissa's blog. Thanks for looking!

Heartfelt Sentiments Team Paper Packet Focus - Lollydoodle

So, once a month our team has been sharing creative things with a different paper pack. For the month of June we're using Lollydoodle, a super cute set of papers. I wasn't too sure about it when I first saw it but the more I play around with it the more I like it. If you've been hopping, you've probably come from Judy Faye's blog. She always has really cute stuff! Check out what I made in Studio J!

Now, on to Melissa Robinson's blog to see what she's been working on!

HFS Team Paper Packet Focus: Jubilee

This month in our team Blog Hop, we're using the beautiful country-looking paper Jubilee. I see lots of possibilities for using it besides the obvious country, barbeque type photos. If you've been hopping for a while you probably came from Judy Faye's Blog. She always has beautiful artwork to share! Here, I've used some photos from The Pumpkin Patch last fall. I think it turned out pretty cute! Hope you like it.

Please, continue on with the hop by going to Melissa Robinson's Blog. She just happens to be the fearless leader of the Heartfelt Sentiments Team of which I love being a part of! I know she's got something fabulous for you to see!

I'd love for you to follow my blog or better yet, sign up for the email updates! That way you'll be one of the first ones to know when I've created something new to share! You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter!

Heartfelt Sentiments Team Paper Packet Focus

Ivy Lane

Welcome to our team blog hop! If you've come from Judy Faye's blog you're on the right track! I hope you like what I've created with the Ivy Lane paper and will check back often to see what I've been up to!

This paper is so pretty! So, pretty that I thought it was deserving of my beautiful granddaughter's pictures. I chose a layout in Studio J and added to it by layering more of the patterned paper at the bottom of both pages. I did this by creating a text box with no text just paper. I changed the main photo to sepia so it didn't compete with the colors. I chose to leave the other pictures in color because her pink dress looked good with the colors of Ivy Lane.

I added a border to the left page.

Here's the border I created!

From this

And, here's where I found it!

 Now, if you go to Studio J and try to find that border you won't be able to find it. Here's how the scroll border was added. I looked through the Stickease to find a design I liked. I turned it 90 degrees and cropped off all the parts I didn't want. Then, I copied and pasted it 3 times to fit across the area. It wasn't quite long enough to go to the end without having a partial piece so, I increased the scale of all 4 pieces until they fit. I think it was at 110 instead of 100. It just takes a little trial and error to get it just right!

Once you're finished checking out my creation, hop on over to Melissa's blog to see what she's made with the Ivy Lane paper!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll visit again!

Another Studio J

Our visit to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory.

Cruise Life

I've been busy scrapping the pictures from our cruise in January. I just love how getting them on a layout make them so much more meaningful. Alone they are just pictures but, in a layout they actually tell the story and make me want to go back...soon! I also love that it's so easy to get the look I want in Studio J. Try it out this month for only $5 a layout! Studio J

Artbooking Made Easy-Sugar and Spice

Another video showing some of the wonderful things you can make with the Artbooking Cartridge.


I'm inspired! I think I'll go play!

Technique Blog Hop - Cricut Overlay

It's a new year and one of my things I want to do this year is to be a more faithful blogger! So, to keep it going, I'm trying to participate in the Technique Blog Hop. This month we are to create something with a Cricut overlay from the Artbooking cartridge. If you've come from Haley's Blog you've seen her take on the overlay. Here's what I finally settled on creating.

I first cut out the overlay on the Cricut at 11 inches. Then I cut more snowflakes in various sizes. The photo frame and the title were cut from Twilight cardstock at 11 inches.

I love how the Sparkle Flourishes make it glisten!

A close-up of the photo with my nephews and their families on a ski trip!

Here's a close-up of the overlay.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

X7175B Frosted Paper Packet

X5666 Twilight Cardstock

 1388 Colonial White Cardstock

Z1812 Sparkles Clear Flourishes-Small

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue on to Michelle's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!

Look What I Won!

And, all for a good cause...

Close To My Heart held their annual convention in Dallas this past July! And, being a Texas girl, you know I was there!

To raise money for Operation Smile, the charity that we help raise funds for, we had the opportunity to donate for a chance to win a complete 10 page album! And, I was the lucky winner!!!

 

Notice that every last one of the pages has stitching on it! It's inspired me to use more stitching on my own layouts.

I love the rays on the first page and can't wait to try out the ink splatters on the page.

The you are Amazing layout is going to look amazing when I get pics on it & the background has small circles stamped on it.

My Favorite Things colors are rich-looking & the diagonal stripes are my favorite.

The Lucky layout is awesome with paper squares used a a resist with the spray pen.

Love the chevron border on Enjoy the Ride.

I've gotta get some of that glitter ribbon used on Capture the Moment.

You Can Soar has feathers cut from our Cricut Artiste cartridge.

The Happy layout is my favorite! It is just PRETTY! & my style completely! I love the scalloped borders that are stacked, inked & raised up on the edge to add dimension.

The Love Life layout will be beautiful with the right pictures. It sparkles with glitter!

Love the pinwheels on the Looking Good layout.

And, finally, One Fine Day is simply cute in a Fallish kind of way!

I can't wait until I find the right pictures to make it complete! Stop by & take a look when I get it finished!

Thank you Close To My Heart for choosing me as the lucky winner of the album!!!

Glossy Dimensions

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 13 of us highlighting the Glossy Dimensions Technique as shown on page 23 in the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book!  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.  If you would like to start from the beginning, please visit this link Debi's Blog.  While there you will also find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way.  Let’s get started!

If you are coming from Judy Faye's Blog, you are on the right track!
 

This is the first page of the layout featuring the Glossy Dimensions Technique.

The second page of the layout featuring flowers made with Close To My Heart's new Cricut cartridge.

I wanted to add some Sparkles to the shiny dimensional elements.

See how it shines!

And, here's how it looks all put together!

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Melissa's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!

Just a few more weeks!

That's right! Just a few more weeks until Studio J, the online scrapbooking site will be released to the public. I am so excited about this! Especially, I'm excited for my friends who say they don't have time to scrapbook! That won't be an excuse anymore. Just get your pictures organized and be ready to log on when I tell you it's available.

Here's another example of what you will be able to create in just a few minutes!

The Many Faces of Delaney

I'm still playing with Studio J! Here's another layout I created with some pictures the my niece, Alison emailed of her beautiful baby girl. Hope you enjoy!