Instagram photo challenge

Hi everyone!  Hope you are having a great Wednesday so far.  My youngest will have his last day of school tomorrow and then we are on our way to summer vacation.  Yeah!  Speaking of vacations - I have a fun summery layout to share with you today for Bella Blvd.  We were challenged to create a layout using Instagram photos. 


Summer Vacation Layout 

 When Laura challenged us to use Instagram photos on a layout I felt that it was the perfect opportunity to use some of the summer photos that I have been taking.  I printed my Instagram photos in a smaller format so that I could fit a total of 8 pictures on my layout.  The Sand and Surf collection paired with pieces from Engaged At Last and Love and Marriage brought a colorful backdrop that compliments my summer theme.

Supplies:
Sand and Surf: Beach Balls, Surf's Up, Alpha+Bits Stickers, Chipboard Icons;
Engaged at Last: Bachelorette Party;  Love and Marriage: Borders; Baby Boy: On the Go!;
Designer Tape: Chevron Combo; Ciao Chip Elements: Stars and Hearts; Button Market: Orange
Stars

Tough Stuff

Hi Everyone!
I created this layout recently using pieces that I pulled together from several of the Pebbles inc. lines. 
For those that know my son Matthew, you know what a challenge it is to get him to take photos.  I was lucky to get him to play along with me long enough to snap a few photos.  I love his expression in these photos.  He is such a goof ball!

Tough Stuff Layout:

I love the way Pebbles inc. papers and embellishments coordinate so beautifully together.  Even though the title of my page is Tough Stuff - I threw in some rosette's from American Crafts to add some dimension (Flowers go with everything right?).

supplies:
Pebbles: Seen and Noted collection, Love you more boy collection, Walnut Grove collection

Have a happy Tuesday :)

Hello Sunshine

Hi there!  Last week I went to a crop with my good friend Suzy West.  While we were there she gave me this fun photo of us to work with.  She used a couple of apps (phonto and frame) to get the fun text and multiple photos on one picture.  I loved the picture and decided it needed a fun and spunky layout to go with it.  Recently I was sent these awesome washi tapes and tags to play with from Downtown Tape.  I thought it would be fun to combine them all on 1 layout.  So this is what I came up with at the crop.  Kind of silly and fun but I am loving how it turned out.

Hello Sunshine Layout

I am in love with the gold washi tape! I took a few pieces of it and punched it with a star punch. I also took a thin strand of it and wrapped it around a paper straw (in case you hadn't noticed I have had an infatuation with paper straws lately).

I threw in a few pieces from the Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm collection and a sticker from the Yes, Please collection. And some stitching, sequins and gold spray mist.

supplies:
Downtown Tape: Canary Island Coast, Sizzle in Sedona, Glitter in Los Angeles
American Crafts: Dear Lizzy: Lucky Charm Flair, Dear Lizzy: Lucky Charm Lucky Coin paper; Amy Tangerine: Yes Please Stitched Vellum Shapes

Playing with confetti...

Hi friends!  I have a fun layout to share today.  Lately the confetti craze has been taking over the scrapbooking world.  I recently picked up a pack of transparencies for a bargain on ebay and thought that it would be fun to make a giant slide filled with confetti. 

I cut the slide with my Silhouette cameo and then backed it with two sheets of transparency paper and sandwiched a whole lot of confetti in between and then glued the ends shut. I didn't bother to
glue the confetti in place. It moves along with the layout which I think is pretty fun.

supplies:
Pebbles: Lakeside collection, Love you more collection, Seen and Noted collection, Walnut Grove collection, Welcome Christmas collection

American Crafts Guest Designer projects

Hey everyone,
I am very excited to share with you my guest designer projects that I did for American Crafts


Daddy's Best Friend Layout by Gina Lideros

Tip: It wouldn't be Father's day in our house if I didn't include our 2 legged friends. This photo is special to me because Roxy is the first dog that we adopted together
as a family and she has a special place in Daddy's heart.  When working with a large
photo I found that it is easiest to keep the embellishments simple and bringing in lots
of color from different patterns compliments a black and white photo well.

Supplies:
Stargazer (PLSP-51462) - Lakeside, Road Signs (PLSP-51466) - Lakeside,
Zach (751424) - Love You More Boy, Blake (751420) - Love You More Boy,
Project (680170) DIY Shop, Cake Batter (680157) - Party Day,
Wish (680161) - Party Day, Brads & Buttons Assortment (683135) - Party Day,
Ephemera Pack Cardstock Die-cuts (683148) - DIY Shop, Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm
Cardstock Die-cuts (85655) - Bits, Flashcard (DIY-TH-83138) - Thickers, This To That
(AM617-13) - Adhesive, .05 Point Black (62321) - Precision Pen


 Gone Fishing with Dad Layout by Gina Lideros

 
Tip: I cut this quotation bubble background with my Silhouette. It makes such a fun
and interesting background for a layout. They were also super convenient for me
to journal in.

Coffee (AM710-49) - Cardstock, Wish (680161) - Party Day, Road Signs (PLSP-51466) - Lakeside,
Decor (680174) - DIY Shop, Ephemera Pack Cardstock Die-cuts (683148) - DIY Shop,
Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Cardstock Die-cuts (85655) - Bits, Brads & Buttons Assortment (683135) - Party Day,
Chalkboard Stickers (732251) - Lakeside , Cardstock Stickers mini alpha (DIY-STK-83140) - DIY Shop,
DIY Shop Photo Overlays (683151), Flashcard (DIY-TH-83138) - Thickers, This To That (AM617-13) - Adhesive



Daddy's Shoes Layout

Tip: Don't forget to look around the home to use "found items" on your layouts.
To add texture to this layout I wrapped plain white paper straws with strips
of alternating pattern papers.  I love the visual interest that it adds.
Project (680170) DIY Shop, Decor (680174)- DIY Shop, Stargazer (PLSP-51462) - Lakeside,
Road Signs (PLSP-51466) - Lakeside, Zach (751424) - Love You More Boy, Blake (751420)
- Love You More Boy, Jacob (751423) - Love You More Boy, Photo Overlays (683151) - DIY Shop, 

Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Cardstock Die-cuts (85655) - Bits, Brads & Buttons Assortment (683135) - Party Day ,

Lakeside Alpha Stickers (732246) - Thickers, This To That (AM617-13) - Adhesive

Thank You card

Tip: For a simple and unique card try a different shape, like the slanted rhombus I used here. 
Sky (AM710-67) - Cardstock, Zach (751424) - Love You More Boy, Blake (751420) - Love You More Boy, 
 Chalkboard (PLSP-51468) Lakeside,

POW! (751455) - Party Super Hero, Project (680170) DIY Shop,

Brads & Buttons Assortment (683135) - Party Day, Chalkboard Stickers (732251) - Lakeside,
This To That (AM617-13) - Adhesive

What a Guy mini album 

Tip:  I documented some of our favorite memories of my husband in this album. It will make
a great gift from the kids for Father's day.  I loved using the bright patterns from these collections to quickly put together this album.

Blake (751420) - Love You More Boy, Zach (751424) - Love You More Boy,
Chalkboard (PLSP-51468) - Lakeside, Stargazer (PLSP-51462) - Lakeside, Road Signs (PLSP-51466) - Lakeside,
Cake Batter (680157) - Party Day, Celebrate (680160) - Party Day, Wish (680161) - Party Day,
Decor (680174) - DIY Shop, Project (680170), Aperature (680198) - Maggie Holmes,Ephemera Pack Cardstock Die-cuts (683148) - DIY Shop, Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Cardstock Die-cuts (85655)- Bits,
Brads & Buttons Assortment (683135) - Party Day, Chalkboard Stickers (732251) - Lakeside,
Cardstock Stickers mini alpha (DIY-STK-83140) - DIY Shop, Photo Overlays (683151) - DIY Shop,
Flashcard (DIY-TH-83138) - Thickers, This To That (AM617-13) - Adhesive, .05 Point Black (62321) - Precision Pen

I hope you enjoyed my American Crafts Guest Designer projects, guesting for them was a dream come true. :)

 

This place makes me so happy...

Hi there!  I have a fun paper straw tutorial up on the Bella Blvd. blog today, and I would like to share it with you.


This Place Makes Me So Happy

I have been in love with all of the colorful paper straws that I have been finding in stores
lately for summer, and even more in love with the new trend of using them on layouts! 
I purchased some plain white paper straws online and decided that it would be fun to
make my own pattern paper straws using Bella's papers and washi tapes.  I love the look!

Step 1:  To create my own custom straws first I gathered up an assortment of pattern
papers and designer tapes.

Step 2: I used a paper trimmer to trim thin strips of pattern papers and designer tapes
(measuring about 1/4 of an inch x 12).
tip: I found that when trimming strips of designer tape it is easier to adhere it to a strip of
cardstock or paper scrap first before trimming it with a trimmer.

Here is what the strips look like after they have been cut. 

Step 3: Apply adhesive to the backside of the paper strip.

 
Step 4: Working at the top of a paper straw start wrapping the paper strip around in a
diagonal twirled fashion. 

 Step 5: When you get to the end of the paper straw cut off the excess paper and glue the
ends down.  I found that a strong liquid glue works well for this.

Here is a shot of all the paper straws after I wrapped them all.

 
Step 6: Last, I arranged them on my layout and glued them down using a strong liquid glue.
After they dried, I cut off the excess pieces, and added my photo and embellishments.

 
This was super fun and so easy to do!  Hope you enjoy!


Bella Blvd. supplies: 
Sand and Surf: Paradise, Surf's Up, Flying High, Beach Balls, Borders, Cute Cuts
Cardstock Stickers: Alpha + Bits, Just Write Journaling Stickers
Chipboard: Sand & Surf Chipboard Icons 
Designer Tapes: Pony Stripe, 12 mm Combo, Polka Dot Combo, Ice Stripe, Pickle Juice
Chevron, Hot Pink Dot, Punch Chevron