a little country charm in your life....

Hi friends,

Today I am sharing my very last project that I made for my DT term with GCD Studios. I used their brand new Country Charm collection for this project.

She's got style layout:

I love the bright color palette and fun patterns in this collection. One of my favorite papers in the collection is the paper country bloom paper. I loved the fun flowers on this paper so I chose to fussy cut one out to use as a page element. After cutting it out, I covered it with clear ultra high embossing powder from WOW embossing powder company. Then adhered to my page with foam squares.

Here is a close up of the flower:

I love the glossy shine that it gives it. So fun! What will you be inspired to make with this collection?

A sweet life...

Hi friends,

I wanted to share a project that is up today on The GCD Studios blog using the brand new Splendor collection.

I wanted to create a project this month inspired by fashion. I was inspired by this link by Elle Magazine. In their current fashion trend report for Spring 2012 they noted that one of the trends that is hot right now is birds.
I chose to implement this on my project by adding feathers to my layout.

A Sweet Life layout:

I love the look. The feathers add texture to the layout, but don't take away from the design. Another fun technique that I used on this page, is that I created my own flags by cutting banner shapes out of yummy Splendor papers and then gluing them down to bamboo sticks (that I found in my kitchen pantry), so fun!

Here is a close up:


Have you ever created a project inspired by fashion?
~ Gina

Oh happy day!

Hi friends,
I am here with some very exciting news today. Heidi Sonboul of GCD Studios was given the opportunity to create her own line for GCD Studios. This line will be availabe at CHA in January. GCD Studios has just released a sneak peek of the new line and they have allowed me to share it with you. So here it is....





The full reveal of the line will be available for viewing on January 6th. So what do you think of the line? I can't wait to share the full reveal with you. I love those chevron stripes!

Christmas morn

I always get all giddy on Christmas morning to see the kids reactions when they come downstairs and see the tree all lit up with presents under it. It makes me want to be a kid again! I had this photo that I took of my kids with their cousins on Christmas morning. When I saw this color inspiration on the internet, I just knew that I wanted to use it on my project for GCD studios this month.



I loved the traditional Christmas colors, with a touch of blue and brown.

Since geometrical patterns are such a big trend right now I decided to create a layout using triangle shapes that I cut with my Slice.

Christmas Morn layout:


Here is a photo of the pattern close up

I used a In Stitchz circle template from Bazzill to create the large circle, and I went over a few of the circles with embroidery floss to give the layout texture.

I used the woodgrain chipboard letters from GCD Studios Great Outdoors collection
and pattern papers from their Scandia Jul collection

Thanks for stopping by! I hope this inspires you to take a photo of the kids in front of the tree this year.

Soft Fall layout

In the month of November I love to take photos of the kids outside with fall leaves. I had photos of my kids that I took at a local park and I thought that these colors would be perfect for a soft fall layout:


I loved the creamy soft colors mixed with black. I also took inspiration from the angled ceiling, so I brought that into my layout by handcutting several angles, and adding a fun handstitched print to one of them.

Here is my layout that I created for GCD studios:



and an up close photo of the tree that I created using my Slice:


I added texture to the leaves with my Sizzix and added buttons from the Sweet Surrender collection, and candy dots from the Fun House collection. For a fun playful look.

I used papers and buttons from GCD studios Sweet Surrender collection

and papers from GCD StudiosAnimal Crackers for boys collection


and elements from the Fun House collection

The giving acorn

To help celebrate Thanksgiving this month, I thought that it would be fun to create a new tradition with my family. I decided to make a table decor project that my family could use to help share what they are thankful for.

The giving acorn:


The project is a paper acorn stuffed with leaves. Each family member takes a leaf and writes down what they are thankful for. Then we take turns reading them during dinner.

To create the acorn, I found a photo of an acorn on the internet, printed it out, and used it to make a template.

I cut two acorns out of pattern paper and glued the edges the sides and bottom together. I kept the embellishments simple, by just inking the edges and adding a swirl pattern that I fussy cut out of pattern paper, and buttons. I used my Slice to cut out different sized (and shaped) leaves.

Here is a photo of the acorn with the leaves:



I used papers from
Donna Salazar's antiquities collection
and buttons from the Sweet Surrender collection.
I hope that this project inspires you to create a new tradition with your family.

fun with fun house...

Hi everyone,
Hope that you have been enjoying a wonderful crafty week. My week has been busy dealing with lots of legal issues resulting from the renter that destroyed our rental property. It hasn't been fun, and at times I have felt like crying and giving up but I am determined to keep my head up and pray for a good outcome. With that being said, I haven't had much time to craft this week, so I thought I would post some recent projects that I have finished using the fun house line from GCD Studios.

Doggie Mama:

The chevron print is so in right now, and I just adore this paper!

Fashionista:

When I saw these photo of my niece Sophia, I just knew that that it would work perfectly with this line.


I love the fun embellishments in the Fun House line - esp. this cute banner! You can pick up the whole Fun House collection here.

That's all for today, thanks for stopping by!

instagram crush

I think it is safe to say that I have a huge crush on Instagram. I am on it everyday, and I love how easy it is to share quick photos with your family and friends. Also, something about those cute little square photos gets me every time :)

We just had a crazy busy weekend, and rather than lugging around my Canon 7D everywhere we went I decided to just bring my iphone and take quick pics with instagram.

Saturday we went to a football game and then a fun 1970's party.


everyone there was really dressed up. My husband and I felt a little out of place since we went in tie-dye shirts. Next, time we will bring a fro and go go boots :)

Sunday my daughter had a cheer competition at Discovery Kingdom


It was such a fun day. The girls took 1st place in their cheer competition. I am so proud of them.

Monday and Tuesday we spent recovering from our long weekend. After walking around the theme park for 6 hours we caught some kind of flu bug (go figure). So Frank stayed home from work and Matt stayed home from school.
We spent most of the day on the couch with the dogs, reading. I made homemade chicken noodle soup and we played Star Wars Monopoly (the highlight of every 9year old boys day).

I recently created a layout about my love for instagram using recent photos that I took with the app.


I pieced all of the cameras together using papers from GCD studios. I also used foam squares to pop up the lens of the camera. I just love how they came out. Here is an up close shot:


Thanks for stopping by!

Mad about hats

In the month of October there are many photo opportunities to take pictures of the kids in Halloween costumes, pumpkins and fall decor.

I decided to draw my inspiration from this photo this month:


These colors are so vibrant and fun. Once I saw these colors, I knew that I had the perfect photos to go with them.

I had these photos of my daughter in her "Mad Hatter" Halloween costume last year. Her costume was so bright and cheery that I wanted to use bright colors to accentuate the photos instead of traditional Halloween colors. The papers from the Fun house and Youthful Eggsubarance collections matched pefectly.

Mad Hatter layout:


Here is a detail shot:

I handcut the target symbol then used a star punch to dress it up. I added chipboard flags and twine from the fun house collection. I decided to do a fun journaling spot clustered with tickets to carry the "fun house theme"




To complete this project I used papers and embellishments from the Funhouse collection, and the youthful eggsubarance collection.


I hope this layout inspires you to scrap those Halloween photos using non- traditional colors.

October owl technique

I hope that your fall is off to a great start. I love to spend my fall months creating lots of cute home decor. Something about the cooler temps makes me want to spend my days inside dressing up my home.

I have been finding a lot of inspiration on Pinterest lately and I came across this cute owl:


I thought that it would be cute to make my own similar plush creation out of paper.

I started this project by hand drawing an owl shape onto pattern paper.

I cut out two. 1 to use as a backing and 1 to use as the front side.

I then dressed up the front side with some basic shapes that I cut using my Slice (Making Memories tool) and lots of yummy GCD papers.


Next, I used paper towels to stuff my owl, to make him plump and cute and look like a plush figure
(you can also use tissues for this).
I used strong adhesive 450 quick dry glue from Helmars to close up the seams and edges as I stuffed. After he was stuffed I set him aside to dry.

Next, I chose some chipboard pieces from Melody Ross's chip art collection to use as the owl's feet.

I painted them white, then attached them to the bottom of the owl.

Here is the final project:
This owl is bright and cheery and sure to lift our spirits on a cold fall day.

to create the body I used papers from the youthful eggsuberance line by Heather Tozzi.

sunday morning paper


celebration paper:


eggscellent paper:


for the eyes I used:

easter basket paper b side:


and I used two papers from the Material girls line:

the sweetest thing paper (flower shape around the eye):


For the eye (heart shape) I created custom buttons using the Epiphany Crafts heart shape studio tool and girly girl paper.


I hope this project inspires you to make a cute fall plush for your home!

Back to school altered book cover

Hi everyone,

I hope that your school year is off to a great start. My kids are always looking for covers for their school books so for my project this month I decided to make an altered book cover.

I purchased a canvas banner page at my local scrapbook store.


I decided to fold the canvas in half. Then I took out my paints, and created my own stamp by first cutting an apple in half.
Then applying a coat of paint.

I did this on the inside of the canvas page too.

After the paint dried, I added some fun GCD papers from the Elementary My Dear collection by Heather Tozzi.


Here is a up close shot of the cover:
I also added a fun mini chalkboard that I found at Joann's, and I created my own fun little pocket to hold pencils in.

and a look at the inside:
This will make a fun cover for a small book or notes.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope this inspires you to create your own alerted book cover, and make your own stamp in the
process too!

rolled paper wreath

For my project this month I decided to make a wreath for a little girls room, using a fun rolled paper technique.

To start, I found this gold frame at a dollar store



and painted it white


then I selected papers. You will need to cut about 40 papers measuring 5 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches, depending on how many layers of rolled paper that you want on your wreath.

I wanted to keep the focus on a girls theme, so I mainly used papers from the Animal Crackers for girls line, but also pulled in a few papers from the material girls line, Spring in bloom collection by Donna Salazar, and the animal crackers boys line.

Next, you will roll each paper into the shape of a cone and flatten out the bottom. You will need strong glue for this. I used 3-in-1 advanced craft glue from Beacon's, because it is what I had on hand. But, a hot glue glun will work great for this too.


after you get each cone glued together (I let mine dry overnight), you will want to lay them out on a table.


then you will need a strong piece of cardboard as a base (a round cardboard piece from a frozen pizza works great for this). Start gluing each of the rolled cones down, pressing down and flattening the end of the tip as you go. You will want to do this in layers. I made my wreath out of two layers, but you could also add a third.


After your wreath dries, It is time to add the frame.

I backed my frame with cute paper and a cut out from the Animal Crackers for girls collection. And then painted and misted chipboard buttons from the Chip Art collection.

And here is the finished product.

This was really fun, and easy to make and would make a great addition to a kids room, or a new baby's room.

Thanks for stopping by!


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