52 Card Challenge - UKS Scrappers Weeks 4 & 10

Well - I am having a mostly great time, making cards for these different challenge weeks.  I made two more last night for the following weeks:

Week 4 - Using Paper from a Pad

Week 10 - Making a card with a number on it

We have a spate? of two year old birthdays coming up, and I need to make six birthday cards.  I suppose I really should start making my own boys birthday cards too - that would be eight!  Maybe next year, when it won't be as many. 

Here's my card for Week 4 -



 

I bought two of these First Edition 12 x 12 paper pads when the boys were born, and shamefully have only used this one to make one year old cards last year!  I suppose that is the real difference between buying on line or from a bricks and mortar shop - I would have had a good flick through and worked out which papers I liked and which I didn't.  Never mind - I will use it, by hook or by crook (eventually!) or give some of it away. 

 

I figured two year old little boys aren't that bothered by butterflies on their cards just yet - so the background paper is floral too. 

 

I altered the "2" which was pink with a brown promarker.  As the sticker was shiny, the promarker did leave some ink on my finger, so my solution to that was cover it with glossy accents.  I think the Cuttlebug Monkey really adds character, and I gave the die-cut some dimension by using Ranger Enamel Accents on his eyes so that they pop. 

 

Half way through the process I thought "uh oh" but now I really like it!

 

Supplies:

First Edition paper pad (12 x 12) Animal Antics

American Crafts Simply Chic Runway coloured alphabet stickers

Glossy Accents

Elizabeth Crafts Design dies - Happy Birthday

Ranger Enamel Accents

Sizzix Framelits - Star

Cuttlebug die Zoo Animals

Pinkflair silicon glue



 

 

Here's my card for Week 10 -

 

 

This card took me much longer to do - so many more fiddly bits! I again altered a chipboard number by painting it green and then making it look professional by glossing over with Glossy Accents.  I love the shine that this stuff gives!



 

Loads more die-cutting and punches used here.  The Elizabeth Crafts Design "happy birthday" die has already paid for itself many times over in terms of the amount of use it gets.  Those are the kinds of tools I really like to buy! 

 

I tried to devise some smart way of putting on that self adhesive flocked lace, but it wasn't too be.  This card is probably busier than I like to make them these days, but sometimes they just turn out like that.  At least it is colourful and cheery!

 

Isn't it great when you get out something that you've had for years and it is the perfect thing?  A really old small daisy punch was just the thing for a wee embellishment on the card. 

 

Supplies:

Papercraft Essentials "Sweet Wishes" paper stack 6 x 6

We R Memory Keepers White Out Nonsense Flowers Self-adhesive Flocked Lace

Chipboard number - Pink Paislee?

Jo Sonja Seedlings, Titanium White and Flow Medium

Spellbinders Shapeabilities Nested Pennants

Carla Craft Flower Punch, Office Hole Punch

Glossy Accents

Stardust Stickles

 

So two more challenges down - a way to go, but it's fun!  Thanks for stopping by.  :)

52 Card Challenge 2013 - UK Scrappers Week 14

Hello everyone -

This is my card for week 14 of the challenge on UK Scrappers to make 52 cards this year.  (I am trying to make 52 Christmas Cards - and I might not be able to participate all year due to emigration, but we will see how we go). 

Week 14 challenge was to use hexagons - luckily I had previously purchased the Hexagon Framelits from Sizzix, but they had been unused up to this point. 

Seeing how I am all about using up the stash, the thing that was the focus of my stash busting mission is this snowflake ribbon which I have had for many years.  I suspect it may have originally come from Costco, but certainly was a gift from my friend Tara who sometimes shares her stash largesse with me. 



I scratched my head about the design for a good long while before coming up with this.  I really like the colour scheme - wintry but fresh with the use of lime green.  Glad to see that sequins have come back - not that I really care about fashion, but it may catch up with me eventually!

Supplies:
Wired snowflake ribbon - Costco?
Papermania Adhesive Shimmer Dots
Doodlebug Sequins
Sizzix Framelits - Hexagons
Craft for Occasions Bling - Blue gems
Express Yourself DIY Snowflake
Scenic Route patterned paper Background Blue Grid White
Aqua cardstock - DCWV, Dark Blue - Cricut, Lime Green - scrap?
Brilliance Ink Mediterranean Blue
Hero Arts Miracle of the Holiday Clear Stamps

I was wondering where I'd put the message but luckily I had just the right niche tucked in on the ribbon. I don't often leave so much white space on the card, but I really like it and will replicate the design for the amount of ribbon I have! That was my last glittery aqua snowflake used up, so I will just substitute that for something else. 

Four challenges down - more to go!

52 Cards Challenge - UK Scrappers - let's go! Week 1, 2,17

Natalia Harandon, aka Mystic Nat on UK Scrappers, hosts a 52 cards challenge every year.  In some years I have played along for a time - I can't say that I have ever completed a full year.  Still - I think it's fun to join in with challenges so I decided to backtrack and join in this year - even though we are nearly half way through and up to Week 22!

So I have been making cards in isolation, but it is much more fun to join in with challenges so I will make to each week going forward, until we move and I can't craft any longer. 

Week 1 - Theme = New (new beginnings, baby, home or simply using new stash - the choice is yours!)

I had to make some New Year cards for a colleague at work, and this is one I came up with -

 

Desperately trying to use up my snowflake/snow stash before going to Australia.  Theme of "New" for New Year.  I like black and white with one accent colour!

 

Week 2 - Clean and simple

 

I kept this one really simple - with such busy patterned paper, you don't need much else!

 

 

I used my Framelits tag, Merry Christmas white peel-off, and some snowy buttons with some Stickles on top.  That was it!





 

Week 17 - using old scraps



 

Nearly all of my card making features old paper/embellishments - but this paper is older than most!  Another New Year card. 

 

 

I was getting great mileage from my Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 4 dies.  Also really old rub-ons and more white peel-offs in the stars.  Some Icicles Stickles and I bought two packs of these snowflakes from Hobbycraft quite some years ago!



 



So that's it for now - a long way to go to catch up, if I can!  Thanks for stopping by.  :)

Project Life Page Two - On Day One

Second double layout completed for the boys' album.  I am pleased with it, but am finding it very slow going.  From editing the photos, to getting them developed, and then configuring which type of protector to put the photos into - before you even start to fill the pockets. 

Despite all the above, I know that this is the best way to scrapbook and document the boys' lives.  Their showcase layouts and albums are lovely, but still miss out the majority of the journalling and the day to day events.  I am nothing if not ambitious, and this type of format will also incorporate my pregnancy journal, and my blog posts of their lives to date, so I always find that the organisation of everything is the key to completing the project successfully. 

Here's the left page, "Boys Meet World":

 

The top two photos are of Henry and the bottom one is of Lewis.  We are very fortunate to have had Tara visit us so early, as she was the one who took the bulk of the pictures. 

 

Here's the right page, "On Day One":

 

 

The top layer of photos are of Lewis (with Moira) and the middle layer are of Henry.  I love quotes and keep spending more time on the internet to find suitable ones!

 

Only as high as I reach can I grow

Only as far as I seek can I go,

Only as deep as I look can I see,

Only as much as I dream can I be.

Karen Ravn

 

And both pages as a double:

 

 

I am quite amazed how happy I am to be using my oldest supplies, and the oldest techniques: vellum, sticking bits of paper onto printer paper to superimpose the printing onto confined areas and the like. I am very happy to have used this piece of paper - I don't think I would have in a different style album format and really like the energy it adds to the spread.   

 

I am also working on a more up to date part at the same time, and find I am using up loads of rub-ons  and a paper pad with stickers and die-cut embellishments - all things which I thought I would never use!

 

I have decided not to worry to try and get all the journalling on the exact same page - I will fit that onto the next page, and do a couple of days at a time.  There will be less journalling as the time goes on, and as I hopefully will be more up to date, it will be easier to plan in real time. 

 

Supplies:

Bazzill Basics cardstock

K and Co Que Sera Sera "Butterfly Garden"

K and Co Mira Tag Pad

K and Co Juliana Die Cut Sticker

American Crafts Remarks Rub-Ons

Quote Sticker included with Creating Keepsakes

Stampin' Up Papillon Potpourri stamps

American Crafts Thickers Black Tie Velvet letter stickers

Making Memories star ribbon

Blue Vellum

Occasions Assorted Craft Stickers (nappy pin)

My Mind's Eye Love Me Do "Head in the Clouds" patterned paper

Cloud 9 Designs Alyssa's Garden Quote Cards

Denim Basics Pearls - Kaisercraft

Sizzix Scalloped Square Framelits

 

What do you think - do you scrapbook in this method?  What are your views?

Thanks for stopping by.  :)





Twenty Two month update

Every day, you are interacting more and more with each other - you set the giggles off in each other, and also the naughtiness! You are trying my patience frequently and becoming ever more acrobatic in terms of climbing, jumping on furniture and attempting to push the TV over!

Daddy has started this game called "Flying Baby" and you both absolutely love it.  The photos in this post were all taken 13.05.13.  You both adore playing with Daddy when he is at home. 

 

Henry in the air ....

 

 

Lewis at flight take off. 

 

 

Henry on the launching pad ... 

 

And over we go. 

 

 

 

Hovering up in the air ...

 

And full steam ahead. 

Lewis, whilst you are really good at flying! you are going through a weird phase of not eating proteins or home cooked meals.  It is very exasperating and frustrating. 

You both are much better with a spoon now and have been feeding yourselves after a fashion for quite a while.  You won't win any prizes for neatness but then that's what life is about!

23rd Apr - I have had a cold for a few days now, and was sneezing quite a lot.  You both thought it was so funny when I kept throwing my head back and emitting an enormous "aaaa-aaa-atchoo!" You do that quite often now and I think it is just so funny. 

29th Apr - Henry, you were hilarious today - you still think the things you see on TV can be touched and are alive.  You followed Upsy Daisy's bed with your hand around the TV and you think "In the Night Garden" is a great laugh.  The episode with Iggle Piggle and the tiddle was a scream!

One day, I changed the bed.  Finding the base sheet was threadbare and had a split in the middle, we went to throw it away.  Before we did that, however, Daddy had a little game with you and played ghosts in the sheet and made spooky noises "oooo oooo ooooooooohhhhh oooohhh".  Lewis, you took it all in your stride and were quite phlegmatic and loved it when Daddy covered you with the sheet too.  Henry, you didn't recognise Daddy and really didn't like it.

Lewis, you are presently Henry's shadow and follow him everywhere around the house. 

I got the ball pool out again yesterday (13th May) and I really wish I could capture on film the absolute joy and delight you both express when I tip all the balls out of the bag very slowly over your heads.  You really love to see all the bright colourful balls tip over you and the volume of giggles and happy screams was quite astonishing! 

I introduced eating with two spoons on 1st May after Roberta's recommendation, and it really did make sense as a precursor to eating with a knife and fork.  Sometimes it also gives you more ammunition to fling food around, but thankfully that is happening less frequently as time goes on.  I thank you and the carpet thanks you! 

Henry you also said "Old McDona" on this day. 

Daddy and I went into the garden on Friday, 5th May and Henry you were playing football in the garden with Daddy.  You also very clearly said "NO" on this day and I have been hearing it more frequently ever since!

Saturday, 4th May - Daddy likes to have a hiding place for sweeties and he regularly goes to these places to pull out little treats for you.  Today Daddy changed the hiding place and Lewis, when you went looking for "wee wee" Henry pulled you by the tank top from the old place to the new one!  I don't really approve, but Daddy thought it was so funny. 

Monday, 5th May - Henry - "Am" = Ham. 
Tuesday, 6th May - Lewis - "All gone!" As clear as a bell. 

I can't wait to see what you do next! 
With lots of love
Mummy x

May Scrapology Card Challenge - Use your Stash!

 This month over at Scrapology, I challenged the DT to make a card using stash!  I often sit down with a specific target in mind to use something up.  Well in this case - it was file folders. 

Many, many moons ago, I bought a huge kit from K and Co from the shopping channel, as you do when you first start crafting.  I had been diligent and used up things, gave most of the last bits away, and thus the kit had gone.  However, there were still a whole wodge of file folders lurking about - funny bits of card in all shapes, sizes and colours.  I kept them in a small drawer, along with my pearls and bling, and every time I tried to open the drawer, it would get stuck because of these dashed things!

One day I got so fed up that I thought "right - you will be my next target"! And so I got to and started cutting them up. 

 

The above card used up some eyelets - don't look at my wonky sticking of the different rectangles!

 

 

A male card - you can see the crease in the file folder, but I could live with that.  Also using up some ribbon. 

 

 

The file folder is the dotty design above - also did some stamping for another male card. 

 

 

Stamping on the tag - recycled from a friend at Christmas! and the pink file folder is also covered with flowers. 

 

 

Can you see a theme developing?  I used up photo corners and the decoupaged rose which I cut out and stamped on the banner.

 

Probably the most simple - using up rub-ons, and the crocheted flowers with the brads in the middle.  I could live with the distressed rub-ons - as the card was folksy in feel. 

 

 

The above is probably my favourite - I used up some stickers from the Pound shop, lots of flowers, eyelets and that butterfly felt ribbon.  I love the colours and I put lots of Stickles on the flowers and butterflies. 

 

I stamped the background of the card, and used lots more Stickles.  The die cut swirl was in my "miscellaneous" bag where I fling bits and leftovers of previous projects to use again.  I matted the file folder on light pink paper and sticklesed around the border.  ("Sticklesed" - a new verb! :lol:)

 

The above used stickers, and the flower.  This time, I actually used the folder as a folder - how original of me - whoo! :D

 

 

Probably the card I liked the least - I am not a fan of sludgy Victorian colours, but I know some people love them.  The file folder was the base of the flower - this time I was more concerned at using that patterned paper up!

I hope this post has given you some inspiration as to how to use up some unlove items in your stash.  I was mostly pleased with how the cards turned out - they went as a present to a friend for her birthday and she said she was pleased with them as she doesn't make cards herself. 

As a prize this month, I have put together a kit - you guessed it! - from my stash.  It is vintage in feel, with peachy and teal tones. 



I would love to see what you have made from your stash!  Happy crafting! x



Epiphany

Well - actually, I've had a couple over the past few weeks -

Firstly - yes, I really am emigrating to Australia- or going home - and things will be sitting in storage for quite a while.  There is a difference between knowing it intellectually, and having the realisation of what this change means in practical life terms.  In reality, I won't have access to most of my craft tools and bulk supplies for ages and ages - certainly not at Mum and Dad's, maybe not in rented accommodation - and maybe not until we buy a house, however long away that might be. 

So therefore it really didn't make sense to hang on to certain things.  My philosophy up until now has been "hang on to it - it will always come in useful, and I could always use it here or there .... " Well, I haven't done a bad job - but I will have moved on again in a couple of years, so time to let most of it go. 

I have been destashing and decluttering a good while now.  I freecycled my fibres and other bits of wool and materials.  I gave away my lovely stash of antique buttons and other vintage clunky bits.  I have pulled useful bits out of magazines and filed them - haven't quite finished that process, but nearly there.  A solid week at that, and it will done. 

Now for the bigger stuff!  I've now sold my Cricut and most of the cartridges.  This has been firstly inspired by this epiphany, but secondly - we need the money.  Thirdly - I need to downsize.  Fourthly - I will aspire to a Silhouette Cameo at some point.  I've been wondering how people have done stuff lately, and all of a sudden it just dawned on me.  That is what I need!

So the selling will continue, and I will just keep going through things and thin them out. 

Secondly - I am changing the way I scrapbook the everyday stuff.  You could call it "Project Life" - but I've been scrapbooking my holiday projects like this for a few years now.  I called it "functional scrapbooking" - and really it is just using divided page protectors.  I suppose I am moving back to a decorated photo album - but more importantly - which also tells the stories in more detail than a normal scrapbook page. 

I will still continue to do showcase layouts - but really only for very special photos, or if I feel like being arty.  I need to fit in more photos, and more stories - but where I will differ from Project Life (or maybe not the theory, but how most people do it) is that I won't be restricted to a page per week.  It will be in chronological order, but most importantly, it will celebrate my boys' milestones as they happen.  Just as well I've been semi-up to date with my blog posts about the boys! I've also written the seminal stuff on our calendar, so that week to week, I can easily scoop it up to go into that scrapbook page.  I don't need so many supplies - I can use office stuff if I have to - but I can just print out the photos, slot them into a few slots, and even scribble some journalling onto a scrap piece of paper, and come back and fill it in properly later. 

That way, I won't get too behind with their chronology, no matter what other madness life decides to throw at us concurrently.  At least, that's my plan - at the moment, it seems as clear as a bell as to how it will work - we will have to wait and see. 

In the meantime, this is my first double page:

 

Left:

 

 Right:





I've already noticed quite a few pros and cons in this new process:

Pros

• I can go through and slot in photos as and when
• I use a LOT of stash! and from a load of different manufacturers
• Cheaper for photo developing in the longer term
• I was already using a lot of old stash, but I've managed to use somethings from very very early on in my scrapbooking life!

Cons

• Maybe it is this page, but I wanted to make it special - so still very time consuming
• I will need to go back to editing a bunch of photos at a time, to upload them to a digital processor
• You need to have a vision of how your pages will come together over the divided page protectors - I can really see the beauty of buying "Project Life" kits, which are already coordinated and cut to size.  That would save HEAPS of time, but then I wouldn't be using up my own stash!

It is my first double page with this new process, after all.  So I am sure it will get quicker!  But it also means a new way of working too - organisation by theme, rather than what I had before.  I've also started to go through and refine my organisation of stash - alphas into big chipboard, and now smaller letters.  A Cropper Hopper for quotes and journalling labels, stickers etc.  Then if I decide I want a quote on one section, I can go to that Cropper Hopper to file through.

So - a whole new way of looking at almost everything scrapbooking related, that's for sure!

Supplies:
Bazzill Basics Cardstock
Patterned papers: First Edition "Up Up and Away" paper stack, Kaisercraft Hey Birdie collection "Hightail", plus unknown scrap from a stack I was given nearly 9 years ago
Cricut Home Accents cartridge "Family" (my last use!)
Basic Grey White Chocolate Chip "Beckham" micro chip stickers
Pink Paislee "Captivating" sticker book - blue alphas
MM Star and Tiny Alphas on White
Artemio Felt "Baby and Bears"
PSX Designs "Fairy Tales" stickers
Autumn Leaves "Romance of Spring" clear stamps by Sande Kreiger
MAMBI rhinestone words "Beautiful"

If you've made it this far, phew! well done. Thanks for joining me in my journey.  :)

Sketchy Scrappers Layout April

Hello everyone -

This is the sketch that the lovely Sandra set for us this month over at UK Scrappers:

 

And here is my take on it:

 

The pictures are of Lewis taken on 31.12.12 when they got a bag of balls from their Aunty Katrina for Christmas.  Lewis loves playing with balls and even though the main picture is out of focus, I just adore the expression on his face as he is having so much fun!

 

Tara cleaned out some of her baby supplies a little while ago and I inherited some bits off her.  She gave me a really cute pack of epoxy stickers which were of baby animals, toys and some letters.  Weirdly enough, some of the letters were covered in epoxy resin and some weren't.  It was easy enough to replicate this for the "t" by covering it with Glossy Accents and you can't tell the difference. 

 

I found it difficult to just stick to the sketch and kept feeling like I wanted to add more. But less is definitely more, isn't it?

 

Supplies:

"Scoot" Element Stickers Echo Park

Jo Sonja Acrylic paints:  "Cornflower", "Sunflower", "Seedlings"

Cardstock:  Bazzill

Patterned Papers: Echo Park Splash - "Big Dots", "Big Stripes", "Mini Stripes"

Occasions Assorted Craft Stickers

 

Also entering this into the Echo Park challenge for NSD about someone you love - and I certainly do love Lewis - at all times of course, but especially when he is having such fun like this! :)

 

Thanks for looking! :) x





NSD Challenge - Echo Park Summer Card

Well, I have managed to do at least one challenge on  (Inter) National Scrapbooking Day - a quick card whilst my toddler twins are asleep!

The first challenge on the Echo Park Blog was to create a card that celebrates summer.  This was quite easy for me to do, as my current favourite range to scrap with is Echo Park.  It is lovely, bright and graphic, and I love that the ranges intermingle with the common use of colour. 



 I think it will be a great teenage boy birthday card.

I raised the end two surfboards and the flipflops on foam pads to give the card some dimensionality, and outlined everything with a sand coloured ink. 

Supplies:
EP Paradise Beach "On the Shore" - card background
EP Splash "Big Waves" - the blue wave part!
EP Paradise Beach "Hang Ten" - surfboards
EP Paradise Beach "Flip Flops" - see a theme developing here!

I found the Making Memories Noteworthy Tiny Alphas "Tara" which went perfectly with the card.  Thanks for looking!

Snow Day and Happy International Scrapbooking Day!

Firstly, happy scrapping to all scrapbookers, national and international.  I hope you have a chance to celebrate the hobby that we love. 

This double layout is one of very few originals that I have done since the boys were born.  I am confident with colour - I am fairly confident with patterned paper - but not at all when it comes to design, and laying things out on the page. 

So I wanted to make this really simple and fairly straight forward.  It was my birthday on the 19th January, and I was supposed to be going to my crop and having an indulgent day.  Instead, it was snowed off and it was back to everyday normality. 

We therefore had to make the most of the opportunity for the boys and to document the occasion!

 

The lovely snowman was something that was sent to me probably 10 years ago when I first started scrapping in a swap on UK Scrappers - for so many years, I had no inkling of what to do with it!  I am so pleased to have used it on this page.  The maker is, and was, certainly very talented - a beautiful example of paper piecing. 

 

I started off with 3 sheets of this background cardstock - not too sure of the colour, but it is something like Evergreen, perhaps.  I lay the Heidi Swapp snowflake mask down on one sheet, but I was very disappointed with the result - the mist puddled underneath, and you couldn't really recognise the design.  So I cut the page into 2, and used half on each side of the double layout. 

 

I then traced around the mask, using the two biggest snowflakes, and handcut three of them out.  I die cut some from Sizzix, and then backed them some of the various snowflakes with white paper so they would stand out more against the Cosmo Cricket patterned paper.  A major faff, but really worth it in the end, I think!

 

A couple of years ago I bought a set of Sizzix dies (on sale, of course!) which have a die for each month of the year.  It has some basic but really important shapes, and I have used these much more than the month - but I can see these really coming into their own when I start scrapping more with divided page protectors. 

 

Apart from the fact that the embellishments are really appropriate, it uses up so much more of my snowflake stash.  I am so pleased to use it up, rather than have to sell it/give it away.  It does justify the purchasing, no matter how many years ago!

 

Supplies:

Bazzill Basics Cardstock

Cosmo Cricket "Silly Chilly"

O'Scraps! White Chipboard Alphabet

Cherryarte rub-on white alphabet

Craftime Glitter Snowflakes

Heidi Swapp Snowflake Mask

Cosmic Shimmer Silver mist

White Snowflake buttons

Scenic Route Background Blue on white grid

Sizzix "January with Snowflakes" die

 

I love these photos of us - it will be a great memory for the boys.  My journalling reads:

 

"Saturday, 19 January 2013

It was my birthday today and I had made plans to go out with friends.  However, these plans were cancelled due to the amount of snow, so Daddy and I had to make the most of it.  We made you some "wellington boots" by covering your shoes with plastic bags.  On top, you had a pair of Daddy's socks to add some grip.  It worked a treat!

It had snowed solidly for 3 days and there was a covering of 5 inches all over the garden.  Henry - so curious as usual - you wanted to taste it!  Lewis, I threw a tiny snowball at all and you weren't so sure.  Another first!"

 

Thanks for stopping by.  :) 



Scrapology May Layout - Hand Stitching

This month, over at Scrapology, we are scraplifting Delaina Burns layout below:



You can see the original on her blog here:

The technique challenge is to use hand stitching.  I have used hand stitching several times over the years, so you think I would have learned something, but what is life other than to make mistakes? I used the WR Memory Keepers Sew Easy Tool on paper, but a quality control report is that it makes really large holes and is not as precise as I would have liked it to be. 

 

I look at the quality of Delaina's stitching, and it is beautiful in its neatness and precision.  My tips for a better job than mine would be to use a stitching template and a sharp pokey tool to create holes, with a protective mat behind.  I have the WR Memory Keepers mat, which is high quality, but a mouse or foam mat has worked well for me in the past. 

 

The delight on my boys' faces when they try to catch the bubbles is beyond joyful and I wanted to catch a great picture of each of them.  This one of Henry is still slightly out of focus, but it was the best I could do in the circumstances, of trying to blow the bubbles and then also take the photos!

 

I chose the colour of the background to coordinate with the wall colour in the photo and then everything else came from that.  I went through my stash and picked out coordinating papers and elements to match.  I was budget conscious when using a piece of white backing paper rather than cardstock, but a good tip for the future is that cardstock stands up better to the rigours of stitching!

I found it difficult to get the squares of stitching even, until I cut out a template from scrap paper first, and then traced around it and then angled the two squares apart from each other.  The lack of precision in the squares is due to the Sew Easy tool and me either not using it correctly or a lack of practice.  I tried to cover up the worst of the stitching, but I had to live with some of it!

When rifling through my stash, I came across the sticker from Scenic Route, but it had a really vibrant red floral border around it.  I cut the text part out of the middle, and backed it with a scrap of K and Co aqua dotty paper that was in my scraps bag. 

I replicated bubbles by using a circle punch and choosing the appropriate colours from the Fancy Pants dotty paper. 

Apart from the dodginess of the stitching and the marks the tool left on the white paper, I am happy with this layout and love the colour scheme. 

Supplies:
Bazzill Basics Cardstock
Embroidery Thread
American Crafts Thickers "Shoebox"
Stickers: Scenic Route "Laurel Monogram ABCD" 2006
Patterned Papers:
    Prima Marketing Iron Orchid Designs Calliope Collection "Chance"
    My Mind's Eye Fine and Dandy True Blue Collection "Splendid" and "Daydream"
    K and Co Classics Collection
    Fancy Pants Hodgepodge "It's Your Day"
    Scenic Route Savannah "Scrap Strip 3"

We would love to see you join in with the challenge and look forward to seeing what you produce!