Santa was here!

My last layout of the year!  I was on a streak making Valentine cards when all of a sudden I was inspired to do a Christmas layout.  Go figure. I guess I just wanted to get the last bit of holiday in on a holiday.  Happy New Year!

Santa was here! Layout Supplies

From Digital Project Life, I used NEW Project Life Template Squared Away 10, bits and pieces from Just Add Color, and Crystal Wilkerson’s Merry and Bright Mini Kit.

I used my Silhouette Cameo with software to trace the Project Life Template. The black Silhouette Sketch Pen was used to make the dashed line around the template.  The little camera is from the Just Add Color digital kit which I made into a cut file.  Bling accents from Imaginisce were applied to the camera using their I-Rock tool.  The little camera was attached to the layout using 3D Zots. The heart is also from Just Add Color and was made into a cut file.  Glossy Accents by Ranger was applied to the heart. The “Santa was Here” was made into a cut file and adhered to the middle of the filler card using 3D Zots. The filler card is from the Merry and Bright Mini Kit.

The snowflakes are a Silhouette America file and were cut using filler cards from the Merry and Bright Mini Kit.  The buttons were sewn onto the little snowflakes using the button foot with my Singer Futura.

The red jute is by American Crafts. It was tied in a bow using Unity Stamp Company’s bow maker, wrapped around the journaling card, and then adhered using Tim Holtz’s Tiny Attacher. 

I like using the digital versions of Project Life because I’m able to fill shapes in Silhouette Studio with the filler and journaling cards from the digital kits and embellish my layouts and resize the cards to fit my needs.

Here’s a peek at the Just Add Color Edition Full Collection, Merry and Bright Mini Kit, and Squared Away 10 template that were used on the above layout.  Click on the images below to be taken directly to the product pages at Digital Project Life.

 

Just a Note

Don’t you just love that little girl at the bottom of this Valentine?  I do.  Tracey Malnofski has such a genius way with her character images.  As soon as I saw her, I had to have her on a Valentine of mine. She’s so CUTE with her little braids and bunny.

Just a Note Card

Emo Quote Digital Stamp from The Stamping Boutique.  This image was colored and paper-pieced digitally using American Crafts XOXO Collection in Photoshop Elements, traced in Silhouette Studio, and then printed-and-cut using my Silhouette Cameo.  I only used the little girl of the digital stamp by erasing areas around her in Photoshop Elements.  This little girl was applied to the base of the card using 3D Zots and Tombow Mono Multiadhesive.

This digital stamp is only $3 and because it’s digital, you don’t pay for shipping and you get it FAST!  Clicking on the image below will take you directly to the product page at The Stamping Boutique. 

XOXO Collection’s color palette was used to fill the digital stamp with color. A journaling card and patterned paper from this kit was used as the background for the digital stamp. This kit is available NOW at acdigitals.com.

The card base is by Silhouette America and was cut from Krafty premium cardstock by Core’dinations.

Below is a peek at XOXO Collection used in the card above.

Click on the above collection image to be taken directly to the product pages at acdigitalscom.

Here’s the description from acdigitals.com:

Fall in love with the darling colors and patterns of XOXO. Splashes of aqua and black accent classic Valentine’s Day reds and pinks, creating the perfect palette for playful florals, hearts, clouds and butterflies. We're positive XOXO will sweep you off your feet!

Buy the full collection and save 20%! The XOXO Full Collection includes the following individual kits:

• XOXO Element Pack #1 - includes 51 elements in PNG format
• XOXO Element Pack #2 - includes 11 borders and ribbons and 20 journaling cards & tags in PNG format. It also includes 10 brushes in PNG and ABR format
• XOXO Paper Pack #1 - includes 12 12x12 patterned papers in JPEG format
• XOXO Paper Pack #2 - includes 12 12x12 patterned papers in JPEG format

Tag Tuesday Challenge: Starry Night

Here’s my tag for Tag Tuesday using “Starry Night” as the challenge prompt.  Today is the last day you can post tags to this challenge at the Tag Tuesday Blog. The next theme will be posted on Tuesday, December 31.

To support the challenge prompt, I used a background patterned paper that had the look and feel of a wintery, starry night, the sentiment simply continues the theme, and the big nested star at the top of the tag serves as a guide to the theme as well.  Interesting challenge!

Interesting Pause Tag Supplies List

Art Doll digital stamp from The Stamping Boutique.  This image was colored using the Silent Night Collection’s color palette in Photoshop Elements, traced in Silhouette Studio, and then printed-and-cut using my Silhouette Cameo.  It was printed onto printable white sticker paper, adhered to chipboard, and applied to the tag base using 3D Zots.  Glossy Accents by Ranger was applied to the hearts of this image.

This digital stamp is only $3.25 and because it’s digital, you don’t pay for shipping and you get it FAST!  Clicking on the image below will take you directly to the product page at The Stamping Boutique.

Tim Holtz Tag & Bookplates Die by Sizzix (cut using my Silhouette Cameo); Black Soot Distress Ink was applied to the edges of the tag.  Mustard Seed Distress Ink and Pumice Stone Distress Ink were applied to tag topper and other bits and pieces of the tag.  OF NOTE: 

The Silent Night Collection was used for the background print of the tag, the stars, the tag topper print, and the sentiment.  These elements were printed-and-cut using my Silhouette Cameo using printable white sticker paper and chipboard to give it some added weight. This digital kit is by Nancie Rowe Janitz and Melanie Ritchie and is available NOW at jessicasprague.com.

The tag topper base is by Silhouette America.  OF NOTE:  The tag topper was printed-and-cut using printable white sticker paper and adhered to chipboard.  It was then embossed using a Cuttlebug and a Tim Holtz embossing folder.

Heavy duty jute from hardware store was applied to the tag by tying a bow.

Below is a peek at the Silent Night Collection Kit that I used in the tag above. 

Click on the collection image below to be taken directly to the product page at jessicasprague.com.

Keep Me Posted with DPL’s Love Theme Pack and TSB’s Wendy Wallflower!

Christmas is officially over.  Now what? Valentine’s Day—That’s what.  It’s not too early for me to begin constructing cards and projects utilizing my favorite theme—hearts and valentine’s.  I’m giddy with excitement!  Here’s my first card of the season.

Keep Me Posted Card

Wendy Wall Flower digital stamp from The Stamping Boutique.  This image was colored and paper-pieced digitally using Digital Project Life’s Love Theme Pack in Photoshop Elements, traced in Silhouette Studio, and then printed-and-cut using my Silhouette Cameo.  I isolated parts of the digital stamp, specifically Wendy and the hearts.  Wendy was applied to the base using 3D Zots and Tombow Mono Multiadhesive.  Tim Holtz Rocky Candy Glitter was applied to the hearts using glossy accents to give them some bling and were then applied to the base of the digital stamp after the glossy accents dried with Tombow Mono Multiadhesive.

This digital stamp is only $3.25 and because it’s digital, you don’t pay for shipping and you get it FAST!  Clicking on the image below will take you directly to the product page at The Stamping Boutique.  I LOVE this stamp—she’s so cute and edgy with her glasses.  She can be used for other projects besides Valentine’s Day.  Just remove her from the background image and the hearts and she can be used in other themes.

The Love Theme Pack color palette was used to fill the digital stamp with color. A 4-x-6-inch journaling card from this theme kit was used as the background for the digital stamp. This kit is available NOW at Digital Project Life.com.

The card base is by Silhouette America and was cut from Krafty premium cardstock by Core’dinations. 

Bling accents by Imaginisce were applied near the sentiment using their I-Rock tool.

The brown jute is by American Crafts and was tied using Unity Stamp Company’s Bow Maker.

Below is a peek at The Love Theme Pack used in the card above.

Click on the above collection image to be taken directly to the product pages at Digital Project Life.com.

Here’s the description from Digital Project Life.com:

Document the love you have for friends, family, or that special someone with the Project Life® Love Theme Pack Create a mini album or mix this pack in with a core edition to make a full Project Life® album. Any way you choose to use it, you will love the results.

The Love Theme Pack includes:

• 16 3x4 filler cards in PNG format
• 16 3x4 journaling cards in PNG format
• 8 4x6 journaling cards in PNG format
• 4 4x6 title card designs in horizontal and vertical format for a total of 8 4x6 title cards
• 8.5x11 PDFs with all of the cards for easy printing**

For a complete look at all of the card designs in this Project Life® Edition, click here and you will be taken to a card design reference PDF.

**Printing Tips: Set your printer to a "borderless" setting. If your printer has an "expansion" option, make sure it is set to minimum. If you are sending this to a commercial printer, verify that they have the ability to print borderlessly before placing your order.

Science Camp with Just Add Color

This year Gwen FINALLY went to Science Camp!  She’s probably been talking about going to Science Camp since first grade, NOT an exaggeration.  As the years, months, and weeks got closer, she just talked about it even more.  I’m so glad I got to be there with her to experience this adventure.  Our school goes to Point Bonita YMCA which is located in Sausalito, CA, which is near San Francisco.  If you want to know more information about this magnificent location, here’s a link:  http://www.ymcasf.org/ptbonita/. 

Point Bonita is pretty fabulous with an affordable place to stay when you have a big group, an organic menu (awesome coffee), and the environment is breathtakingly gorgeous with hike, after hike, after hike—near the beach and ON the beach.  Did I mention you’d be hiking? The naturalists captured the children’s attention with songs and games which made it FUN for the children to learn about the environment and the effect we all have on the environment.  I know Gwen left with a full head of knowledge, songs in her heart, and enjoyable memories to recollect.  We’re still singing “The Banana Slug” song. 

I see a mini album in the near future of this experience—I hope, I Hope, I HOPE!  If I took one picture, I took a thousand.  She needs a keepsake I think AND mommy is inspired to create one. 

I wanted this layout to have an organic feel, so I chose an awesome background from Adrienne Looman’s Honey Solids Digital Paper kit with the kraft-colored cardstock as the base.   Digital Project Life’s Just Add Color was the perfect kit to help embellish the layout. I used a sketch I found at the Studio Calico blog.  Here’s a link:  http://www.studiocalico.com/blog/2013/11/3/sunday-sketch-bernadette

Science Camp Layout Supplies

The sketch I used for the layout I found at Studio Calico (link for sketch above).

Just Add Color Edition Full Collection available at Digital Project Life.

Honey Solids Digital Paper Kit by Adrienne Looman Designs available at jessicasprague.com.

Krafty premium cardstock by Core’dinations.

Black Soot and Vintage Photo Distress Inks by Tim Holtz were applied to the edges of the cardstock pieces.

I used my Silhouette Portrait and software to trace the basic shapes from the sketch. The black Silhouette Sketch Pen was used with AllyFont for the journaling.  That font was purchased through the Silhouette America Online Store.  Impact font was used for the title. The little camera is from the Just Add Color digital kit mentioned above which I made into a cut file.  Bling accents from Imaginisce were applied to the camera using their I-Rock tool.  The little camera was attached to the layout using 3D Zots. The hearts were also from Just Add Color and were made into cut files.  Glossy Accents by Ranger were applied to the hearts. The little flag accents at the top were also from Just Add Color and were made into cut files. 

Buttons were manufactured by Autumn Leaves and were sewn onto the little flag accents using the button foot with my Singer Futura.

I like using the digital versions of Project Life because I’m able to fill shapes in Silhouette Studio with the filler and journaling cards from the digital kits and make them the size I need depending on the layout size I’m using.  Sometimes I like to scrap 12x12 and sometimes I just don’t, like this particular layout which is 8-1/2-x-11-inches.  I like having options, don’t you?

Here’s a peek at the Just Add Color Edition Full Collection I used on the above layout. THIS kit has fabulous stickers like the hearts, flags, and camera I used on the above layout—again options!

Click on the above collection image to be taken directly to the product pages at Digital Project Life.

Here’s the description from Digital Project Life:

Introducing the Just Add Color Edition! This edition has the same things that you love about Project Life® but with a twist. This collection features square filler and journaling cards in 2 different sizes as well as 4x6 journaling cards and filler cards. It is perfect for your Instagram photos or any other square photos you may have.

Buy the full collection and save 20%! The Just Add Color Full Collection includes:

• Just Add Color 2x2 Filler Cards - includes 134 2x2 filler cards in PNG format
• Just Add Color 2x2 Journaling Cards - includes 98 2x2 journaling cards in PNG format
• Just Add Color 4x4 Filler Cards - includes 40 4x4 filler cards in PNG format
• Just Add Color 4x4 Journaling Cards - includes 39 4x4 journaling cards in PNG format
• Just Add Color 4x6 Journaling Cards - includes 10 4x6 journaling card designs in horizontal + vertical orientation for a total of 20 4x6 journaling cards in PNG format
• Just Add Color Title Cards - includes 30 4x6 title card designs in horizontal + vertical orientation for a total of 60 4x6 title cards in PNG format
• Just Add Color Stickers - includes 255 stickers in PNG format
• 8.5x11 PDFs with all of the cards for easy printing** (PDFs with the stickers not included)

**Printing Tips: Set your printer to a "borderless" setting. If your printer has an "expansion" option, make sure it is set to minimum. If you are sending this to a commercial printer, verify that they have the ability to print borderlessly before placing your order.