Just Havin' Fun!

I love playing with paper.

I love getting creative.

I do it for me. :)

Last night I sat down and just had a bit of fun! Here's the layout I created...

It uses papers and die cuts from Authentique...some from their Blissful collection and some from their Uncommon collection. Aren't they fun?

Here are some close up's of my layout...

Check out all the movement on this page! It totally fits the Rhythm design principle that I was talking about in this post. :)

Hope you are having a FANTASTIC day!!!! The weekend is almost here! :)

Thanks for stopping in!

Stickers and Glue.

Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping in!

Today I have a layout to share with you, but first I wanted to discuss something with you...stickers. I used to shy away from them, thinking they were too "old fashioned". But now I find myself using them over and over again on my layouts and projects. I like them thicker, and then they can be used instead of fussy cutting something out of paper or even instead of chipboard. What do you all think of stickers? Do you use them often?

On my layout that I am sharing today, I popped the stickers up with some Liquid Scrap Dots from Helmar. LOVE that stuff! And I really like the 3D look it gives to the stickers. It comes in a squeeze bottle and looks like this:

I know you can buy it here at Two Peas or here at Scrap-Tastic. I prefer to use this versus the foam dots many companies have because you can vary the height a lot easier (just add a little, or pop it up a lot) and it works very well. It does take longer to dry though, so I usually do this last, and allow to dry overnight. But I seriously always have to have an extra tube on hand in case I run out. I use it a lot.

Anyways....so here's my layout:

This layout uses the fantastically fun Life of the Party collection from BasicGrey! I am so lovin' this collection lately, definitely a favorite for me. :)

Here are some close up's of my layout:

I did use more adhesive from Helmar to put the rest of the layout together, I used the 450 Quick Dry Adhesive. This is what I use for most of my projects. It works like a charm and never wrinkles or warps my papers. :)

It had been a little while since I talked about adhesive, so I wanted to mention it again. :) I know there are lots of adhesives out there, but I will probably always be a Helmar girl. Which adhesive do you prefer? Seriously, shout it out!

Have a fantastic day!

Time to Get Fancy!

In case you missed it...

Fancy Pants is having a Back to School Challenge! And yes, a prize is up for grabs...so what are you waiting for? The deadline was extended, so you now have til THIS Friday, Sept. 9th to create a school themed project and post it to Fancy Pants' facebook page. You can read all the details about the challenge here.

And speaking of school-themed Fancy Pants projects...I have one up on their blog today. Here's a sneak:

The layout is for a post about RUB-ONS. So check out the whole post for some awesome ideas. :)

Thanks for stopping in today! I'll have more up tomorrow. :)

Have a wonderful day!

Design School!!! (I've Got Rhythm!)

I am so happy to be a guest this week for the Design School series at Two Peas going on right now! I was seriously thrilled when Jamie asked me. :) Check out the whole series here.

I did this layout to showcase the RHYTHM design principal.

The principle of rhythm is the idea of giving your page a sense of movement, you can do this with wavy lines, circles flowing across a page, or even with simple stripes (such as the keys on a piano).

You can see rhythm in several spots on my layout...in the hearts flowing in and out, or the strips of layered paper, or even in the journaling and title which flow down.

Here are some close up's:

All my papers came from the Amy Tangerine collection from American Crafts. I was lucky enough to win it on their blog, and I honestly could not have been happier when it came...I LOVE IT! :) You will definitely be seeing more of it.

Back to rhythm...

When trying to create rhythm on your pages I suggest you think about what you are wanting to get across. Rhythm on your pages can ADD to your story! For example, if you have a picture or a child--add your journaling in a way that makes it appear she/he is yelling it, or as in my example, the hike we took was filled with rocks and switchbacks, I made the hearts flow not directly across the page but as if they themselves came to a switchback. And the path we took was never level, so I varied the strips of paper up and down. Rhythm can add an idea or expression to your page and it's not hard to do! I hope you play along with the challenge, just remember, everyone's got a bit of rhythm in them! :)

Happy Labor Day!!!

Hi everyone! Happy Labor Day! Hope you are doing something special or hanging with some special ones. :) We actually don't have anything planned this year...hoping we'll just have a relaxing day at home.

I have another layout to share with you today, and yep, I'll say it out loud with you..."more circles!" I am just so into circles lately. :)

I just LOVE this Life of the Party collection from BasicGrey! Seriously, LOVE it! I have more to share with you using this collection too. :)

Here are some close up's of my layout...

Love those pictures. Hayden just looks so happy! It's always a blessing when your kids make good friends.

Ok, well thanks for stopping in today! Come back tomorrow for some fun news and a layout. :)

Favorite Find Ever!

The other day I was at Tuesday Morning and found a birdcage that I just loved! I actually didn't buy it right away, I loved it but didn't want to spend any money. BUT then I ended up going back because I just couldn't get that birdcage out of my head! And I am SO glad I did!

I had some crazy fun altering it, and I just can't wait to find a place to display it in my home. I am so happy with how it turned out. :) And let's be honest...that doesn't always happen (the super happy "this is just what I wanted" outcome from our creative endeavors). ;)

Here it is...

I used a variety of papers and chipboard from BasicGrey for everything.

And here are all the close up's so you can see all the details...

I bowed the picture to give it a more dimensional look and I just love how it turned out. (I need to stop saying that, huh?)

If you stopped in today because yesterday I was talking about how I was going to post a secret assignment I had been up too, well, I'm sorry...too bad. ;) I had a total brain fart, and that is not until NEXT week...so you'll just have to wait! :)

Have a fantastic day! And thanks for stopping in!

The Crazy Things We Do

Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping in today. I am sharing another BasicGrey layout today...and its a fun one! :)

It uses the Sweet Threads collection, and then those circle stickers are placed on top of some sheets from my Basics Manilla 6 x 6 Paper Pad.

Those pictures were all taken with my phone...when we got bored? Am I the only one that does this??? :)

Here are some close up's:

So we welcomed a new addition to our home yesterday...we have a new kitten! His name is Bunsen (to go with our dog Beaker). He's been a lot of fun so far, and I can't wait for him to feel completely comfortable in his new home. It's amazing how much the animals can lighten up the mood around the house...add a bit of fun! :)

Ok, well I will be back tomorrow. :)