American Crafts | Focus On The Happy

This is a personal blog. All editorial content and projects are intellectual property of http://americancrafts.typepad.com/.  I do receive financial compensation and material product from American Crafts to develop my craft posts, but all ideas and opinions are my own.

It's Circles Week on the American Crafts blog, here is a look at my layout I created using circles!

Circles are such a versatile shape.  I love using circles on layouts

because they are so pleasing to the eye, and help to draw the eye in.

Supplies: Shimelle True Stories (370703) - English Breakfast Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370704) - Grey Floral Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370704) - Espresso Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370708) - Green Tea Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370710) - Cappucino Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370711) - Decaf Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370712) - Salted Caramel Paper,Shimelle True Stories (370713) - Americano Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370714) - Darjeeling, Shimelle True Stories (370717) - Frappe Paper, Shimelle True Stories (37018) - Mocha Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370719) - Berry Infusion Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370721) - Orange Pekoe Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370722) Cinnamon Roll Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370723) - Croissant Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370724) Macchiato Paper, Shimelle True Stories (370741) - Wood Veneer Shapes, Shimelle True Stories (370745) - Wooden Buttons, Shimelle True Stories (370743) - Ephemera Shapes & Icons, Textured Cardstock (AM710-81) - White, Studio Calico Circles 12x12 cut file by Paige Evans

How To:  Cut background from White 12x12 Cardstock using the Silhouette Cameo.  Cut pieces of patterned paper to fit background using Shimelle True Stories collection.  Back White 12x12 background cut with a piece of white 12x12 white background paper.  Adhere cut pieces from Shimelle True Stories collection in negative pieces.  Adhere all pieces down.  Print a small photo measuring 4x2 and back with Shimelle True Stories sunray overlay.  Adhere to left hand side of page.  Adhere die cuts, wood veneer and cardstock stickers to page.  Finish by adding date stamp and cork sticker to page.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you enjoyed my layout!

The Cut Shoppe | Happy Together

Hi everyone!   I have a new layout to share with you today using the Tiny Triangles background from The Cut Shoppe.  Eye catching backgrounds are my groove.  I love pattern piecing and using lots of geometric shapes.  When I first saw the Tiny Triangles cut file, I fell in love!

When I started working on this layout, my original plan was to cut out the whole background from cardstock and then back the pieces with different pattern papers.  I accidentally had my cut settings on the wrong setting (I think I had it on patterned paper, when I really meant to have it on cardstock).  So, the Tiny Triangle design did not cut all the way through my cardstock.  I thought about starting over, but it was my last sheet of Navy cardstock.  So instead, I cut out individual triangles from various patterned papers and placed it on top of some of the background triangles.  It was a happy accident, I love that even though the background design did not cut all the way through, you can still see the design against the dark navy background.

Tiny Triangles 12x12 

Have you ever made a mistake on a layout and then turned it into a happy accident? If so, we would love for you to share it with The Cut Shoppe on their Facebook page!

The Cut Shoppe | Amazing

Hi everyone,

I'm sharing a layout that I made for The Cut Shoppe using their free NSD cut file.

Supplies: The Cut Shoppe: Etc. Etc. Etc. cut file; American Crafts: Shimelle True Stories Patterned Papers, wood veneer, stickers, die cuts, buttons, enamel dots; Bazzill: White cardstock; Studio Calico: Mister Huey's Inky Black spray mist

How To: Enlarge the amazing tag, included in the Etc. Etc. Etc. cut file.  Use the eraser tool in Silhouette studio to remove the outside lines of the tag.  Cut file out of white cardstock paper.  Back cut with a photo behind the large "A".  Back white cardstock cut file with another piece of white cardstock underneath.  Use a 1" square punch to punch squares out of different pieces of patterned papers.  Use scissors to cut each square diagonally.  Line up triangle pieces in three vertical lines on each side of page. Flick black spray mist across the page.  Use a sewing machine to stitch some of the pieces down.  Embellish with stickers, wood buttons, die cuts and wood veneer pieces.

thanks for stopping by!

American Crafts | Kids

The new True Stories collection from Shimelle is bright and cheerful and perfect for kids' pages.  I used a phrase from Dr. Seuss, along with playful letters to create a one of a kind title for my kid page.

supplies: Shimelle True Stories (370712) - Salted Caramel paper, Shimelle True Stories (370705) Lemon and Ginger paper, Shimelle True Stories (370743) - Ephemera, Shimelle True Stories (370742) - Photo Overlays, Shimelle True Stories (370733) - Phrase And Alpha Stickers, Shimelle True Stories (370735) - Cork Stickers, Shimelle True Stories (370736) - Enamel Dots, Shimelle True Stories (370729) - Chipboard Hipster Multicolor Thickers, Precision Pens (62311) - Black .03, Mister Huey's (331064) - Inky Black, This To

That (AM617-13) - Adhesive 

How To: Fussy cut letters from Salted Caramel paper to create title. Use a sewing machine to add machine stitching to each letter, leave threads long to create interest.  Place title on layout (but do not adhere) to figure out letter placement.  Once you have decided where your title needs to go, remove letters and paint white paint across background using a wide foam brush.  Set aside to dry.  Adhere cork building sticker and flag (ephemera)

to the bottom left hand side of layout.  Adhere title to layout, use a journaling pen to journal in the letter "O".  Flick drops of black spray mist against background. Print a small photo and adhere to bottom right hand side along with photo overlay, ephemera and phrase sticker.  Finish by embellishing page with enamel dots, ephemera pieces, and stickers.

American Crafts | Going Places

It's Shimelle week on the American Crafts blog!  I had a layout up on Monday to help kick off the week!  

The new Shimelle True Stories collection is perfect for documenting everyday moments

and is perfect for the boys in your life.  I used this collection to capture a moment about

my son and try out a fabulous trend - string art!

Supplies: Shimelle True Stories (370723) - Croissant, Shimelle True Stories (370708) Green Tea, Shimelle True Stories (370711) - Decaf, Shimelle True Stories (370701) - Latte,Shimelle True Stories (370714) - Darjeeling, Shimelle True Stories (370721) - Orange Pekoe, Shimelle True Stories (370713) - Americano, Shimelle True Stories (370724) - Macchiato, Shimelle True Stories (370710) - Cappuccino, Shimelle True Stories (3707190) - Berry Infusion, Shimelle True Stories (370722) - Cinnamon Roll, Shimelle True Stories (370717) - Frappe,    Shimelle True Stories (370736) - Enamel Dots, Shimelle True Stories (370743) - Die Cut Cardstock Shapes, Amy Tangerine Rise and Shine (370050) - Rotary Stamp, Bazzill (T7-783) - Admiral Cardstock

How To: Flick splatters of white paint across a navy blue cardstock background, set aside to dry.  Trace a large octagon shape onto cardstock background. Using a needle, embroidery thread and a ruler, poke a hole on each point of the shape and thread a line across to another point on the shape in a diagonal fashion.  For each point of the shape thread 3 lines, each going to another point.  When finished filling up the shape with threaded lines, thread the outside of the shape.  Print a small picture and trim to fit the middle shape of the design, adhere down.  Use scissors to trim various pieces of patterned papers and adhere down to different pieces inside the shape (I intentionally) left some of the pieces blank.  Use a white pen to add journaling.  Adhere cardstock die cut pieces down with 3d adhesive foam squares, place loose threads behind some of the pieces before adhering down.  Stamp a few words with white ink using Amy Tangerine word stamp.  Finish by adding button and enamel dot shapes.  

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you enjoyed my layout!

Hello Hello

Hi, I have a new layout to share with you today for The Cut Shoppe using The Love Club cut file.  I love using repeated patterns on my layouts.  I chose to use the "hello" word from this set to create a repeated pattern on my layout.

How To:  Flick white paint across a striped patterned paper background, set aside to dry.  Using Silhouette studio cut the "hello" word word five times from five different pieces of patterned paper.  Adhere notebook piece of paper to right side of a layout, use a tiny attacher to staple it down.  Print a small photo and adhere on top.  Trim a small strip from an overlay and adhere to right hand side of notebook paper.  Apply adhesive to wood veneer piece and adhere it to the bottom right hand side of layout just underneath the photo.  Adhere "focus on the happy" sticker on top.  Stamp the phrase "make it happen" in white ink across the page.  Adhere wood veneer clouds and die cut cloud to page.  Finish by adding machine stitching to a couple of the words.

The Love Club

Supplies: The Cut Shoppe: The Love Club cut file; American Crafts Shimelle True Stories: Patterned Papers, wood veneer pieces, overlay, die cut cardstock shapes, notebook pad, cardstock sticker, rotary stamp; Other: white paint, tiny attacher, sewing machine, thread