Newest Scrap Happy Design Team project featuring Authentique!

A little bit Lively 'round here with some more Authentique

It has been a very busy week for us on the Scrap Happy design team.  Can you tell, all these beautiful projects posted?!  Well, on this, the last day of the month, I am going to just barely squeeze in yet another project!  I shall make this a quicker than usual post as I am glued to the Olympics and the very handsome, scantily clad maleswimmers, ooh la la!  ;)

I put together a quick layout using Authentique's Lively.  I know, surprise, surprise Candy is using Authentique again.  What can I say, I am IN LOVE.  This line is very quirky and fun.  Phenomenal color combinations and fun patterns and perfect for late Summer.  I ADORE the wood grain paper which I used as the main paper in my layout, and it went perfectly with the picture I had chosen.  Little Sidney is the Niece of a great friend of mine and she is just absolutely adorable and this photo spoke to me, what a sweet look of pure contentment on her young face, and that was how the title came about.

I actually whipped this baby up in about 2 hours, my mojo was in full swing.  I got to use one of my favorite tools, the We R Memory Keepers Sew Ribbon.  I use this particular one so much I am going to have to get another one, my blades are dulling!  This one is the pink one, called "weave".  I used the pink twill ribbon in "Bubblegum" up the left side and across part of the top.  I actually made a boo boo, which is why I only went part way across.  But my mantra is "THERE ARE NO MISTAKES IN CRAFTING" so I took the opportunity and added some great Maya Road pleated twill ribbon in a great matching chartreuse color.  I liked it so well I added more on the bottom.  I wanted to make sure all the colors were balanced so I topped it with MORE great Maya Road trim in Hot Pink ric rac.  I don't use it often enough but I took my Tim Holtz  Tiny Attatcher and stapled it on for a more rustic look.  Well, more so because I didn't want to get my hot glue gun out, but I like the rustic look ;)  

As in my last layout using Authentique I used many of the alpha stickers and stickers in general.  They are just a great aspect of Authentique's lines, always a favorite of mine.  I used a lot of random stuff from my stash like the buttons and some hemp twine, but got them all at Scrap Happy.  Trust me 98% of everything crafty I own is from Scrap Happy and Susie LOVES me for it!

Since this layout isn't for me, it will ultimately be a gift for little Sidney's grandma and wife of the #1 Grampy in the picture ;) I didn't do any journaling so I left that blank, but what I did was make a pocket under the mat for the picture and put in a little journaling spot.  I used an adorable tab sticker from the sheet and it will pull-out and in.  It is functional AND adorable. These next photos are of the front and back of the journaling spot.

Well, that is it for now.   As always, everything used can be found at Scrap Happy.  This and my last layout for design team along with specifications for each will be on display starting this Friday.  

Have a Scrap Happy Day!

~Hugs~

Candy

Authentique Fresh

Fresh as a blanket of new fallen snow.....

........well, not quite, but let me tell you with this heat we're having I almost wish for some snow!  But. not today, today we feature FRESH by Authentique!  Everyone pretty much knows that Authentique is one of my FAVORITE paper companies and they NEVER disappoint!  Fresh is no different, it stirs up memories of  long sunny days at the beach, of soft ocean waves, the sand beneath your toes, the excitement of finding a seashell,  and the bathing beauties of bygone days.  It marries a soft, relaxing aqua-y blue with bold reddish-orange and pretty grey to bring it all together.  

I have to be honest, it was a difficult line to work with.  As beautiful as it is I lean more towards vibrant colors, pinks, yellows, purples, reds, etc.,  and Fresh is much more low key........ but I LOVE a challenge!  I didn't feel it lended  itself well to cardmaking and I didn't really have any pictures I thought I could do with it, I was in a pickle.  The collection almost demands softly blurred photographs in sepia tones, anything else would just look misplaced and haphazard.......I had NOTHING!  But, as I was perusing Facebook one day a friend of mine posted a GORGEOUS picture of himself with his beautiful girlfriend at his family's lake house.  This was THE perfect picture, taken at sunset with a softly blurred background, the lake in the background, and featuring two lovely smiling faces and the perfect colors.  I wish I could take credit for taking this amazing picture, but alas, I cannot, I am not a good photographer, I would like to be, I appreciate good photography, there is just a disconnect between what I see in my head and how it turns out!  lol.  I can  take credit for the layout and I guess for knowing the subjects of the photo ;)  I emailed him immediately to get permission to use his photo, I mean, the balls had already started rollin' and I had the layout done in my head before he even said, "YES"!

Isn't this photo awesome??  I hope my layout does it justice.

I used two main papers from the collection.  The background paper is entitled "Light" and the mat & accent paper is entitled "Free".  I also used just a couple small pieces of the orange paper from the 6x6 pad. which I die cut using my Scrap Happy exclusive die, Flag Banner Trio.  I cut the waves with my LaLa Land Crafts Border Waves die, added several aqua and orange bling......other than that, everything else is from the collection's sticker sheet and alpha sheet.  That is something that is different for me, I don't use a lot of stickers in my layouts and cards, etc., but Authentique's sentiments and images are so unique and lovely and the quality of their sticker is second-to-none that I find myself using them more than any other, they just compliment beautifully.  That being said, I do find myself using Authentique's sticker sentiments and alphas in my other projects, as well. 

WAIT.....I almost forgot, I used my new Mister Huey's (sold in store) for the first time!  The colors of Sunset and Powder Blue were a PERFECT match to the collection!  I liked the look of a lot of open space on this layout because the photo is the star, but I wanted to balance the color better in that space so I unscrewed the cap and "flicked" the color on instead of spraying.  I also wanted a more random, less obvious look.  It also pulls the eye up to the top right corner where I put the "title" stickers.  I think it went together nicely and will be a nice little gift to give my friends.  It will be on display at the store starting next week, though ;)

Well, that's it for now, stay tuned for even more Design Team works of art and some sneak peeks from CHA and what's to come!

As always, have a Scrap Happy Day!

~Hugs~

Candy

Life on the Crafty Side

Hi, my name is Candy and I'm................a paper-a-holic

Oh, boy, the first step is acknowledging ones problem, right?  Those who know me best and have been in my craft room know this about me already.  In general, I am a lover and collector of all things pretty and necessary.  If I were not married I would have a serious problem, I would be on "THAT" show.  Yes, you know the show of which I speak, I shan't speak, write, or type its name, but YOU know as well as I.  I would probably also be a crazy cat lady.  Right now I have one beautiful cat, Ophelia.  She is a princess and does not tolerate other animals, particularly cats so I am a one cat house at the moment.  She is 15+ years old and will probably live forever so as to make sure that I have no other pets, no other sweet little animal (CAT) to love.  Nope, only her.  And I love her so!

But, I digress.  I believe I have more paper than I could EVER, EVER use in my lifetime,  I probably have far more paper than the law would allow if the law had such a silly law, a law of which I would surely and knowingly break, anyway!  I do use it, not as much as I should or could because more and more keep coming out that I just HAVE TO HAVE.  Yes, HAVE, not want,HAVE........ it is just so darn pretty!!!!  Ask my mom and she will tell you I have had a love affair with paper since I knew what paper was .  The smell, the textures, the words which can be written upon it.  I learned to read at 4, write at 5 and I also learned to collect things, too, most especially books and paper to write upon, go figure, right?!  I love books and reading, I love writing, and I have come to love scrapbooking and card making among many other facets of the paper crafting pastime.  I STILL love the smells and textures; these horribly enabling companies keep coming up with new types, glittery, embossed, shiny, textured this way and that, thick, thin, gorgeous patterns, marvelous colors, the list goes on, and I have them ALL!  My biggest penchant is for 6x6 paper pads.  Don't get me wrong, I love my 12x12 and have more than any human deems necessary, but for me, the 6x6 are more versatile. It has come to a point where Susie at Scrap Happy will order 6x6 pads of paper that she doesn't even carry in her store, because she knows I will want them, I will NEED them, and I will have them!  My friends think I am funny, my husband thinks I am insane, Susie, well she just likes that I spend the money, and my mom, if my MOM ever saw, she would flat out have me committed.  My grandma would understand, if she were alive, I am willing to bet she would be in my room with me making cards and loving my paper as much as I.  It is because of her that I love paper so much.  

I'm going out on a limb here, but I shall show you a couple pictures of my paper, JUST 6x6 and this is not even all of it, being that I am kinda in the process of trying to start moving.  I have a stack or two on my desk, even,  and I will not tell you where there are others hidden =O  Please don't try to count, I don't want a fixed number of what I have, ignorance is bliss, right?  You can also see at the bottom one of my shelves of 12x12 paper stacks.  I have all my 12x12 in collections in plastic holders, but I will share that another day.  I also forgot to mention, this is just patterned paper.  I have several files cabinets that I have organized my 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, and several milk crates that I STILL need to organize of my 12x12 cardstock.

I am not sure if I feel better or more ashamed, lol, but now you know the rest of story!

Until next time,

Hugs,

Candy

Absence makes the heart grow fonder..........right?

Wow what a week is has been.  My DH and I closed on our new home and my mind has just been racing with all the fabulous things I can do with it.  My craft room will be almost twice the size as I have now and I am already planning scrappy slumber parties with my BFF's!!!  I have been making calls galore to utilities and inspectors and contractors, etc and can't wait to get settled in.

Aside from closing on the house and pinning like a madwoman, I have been trying to stay cool in this heat we  are having.  Thank Heavens for air conditioning and ice cream!!!!  Or ice cream and air conditioning?!  Anyway, I have been a busy little bee.  I whipped up my Scrap Happy design team project and did a couple cards for two of my NEW neighbors whom I have had the pleasure of meeting already.  Everyone seems so nice and friendly, so far, and quite happy to have someone moving in.  Lastly, I made a card for a friend because I just LOVE sending Happy Mail :)

These first four cards are my design team cards using Authentique Glory collection and some Scrap Happy stamps and dies.  I showed the envelopes on 3 of the cards because of Scrap Happy's soon to be released envelope liner die.  FANTASTIC!!!!  You can check out the specifics of these cards on the Scrap Happy blog!

The following two are the ones I made for my new neighbors.  I used the paper(Paper Cottage by Basic Grey) from my Simon Says Stamp July Kit, but I used some fitting stamps from CTMH and Stampin' Up where you can shop with my friends, Mindy & Marla, respectively.  The 2nd of the two also fulfilled my fun little challenge I have going on with my friends, Keisha and Mindy to use all our CTMH stamp sets and not use the same one twice.  I am a little behind on that, but, hey, I just bought a house!

 This is the card I made for my darling friend.  She just doesn't know it yet, probably tomorrow ;)  I used papers from Echo Park, their Hello Summer line from my Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit.  I also used the stamp set that Taylor had made especially for this paper collection.  It is so CUTE!  

That is all for this day, hope ya'll have a SUPER weekend and AMAZING Independence Day holiday if I can't blog before then!

HUGS
Candy

Thanks, Danielle (EcoScrapbook) for the love

Danielle, over that the ecoscrapbook, was so kind as to to award me the Liebster Blog award.

If this award is new to you, it's basically a way to grow our crafting community and let others know about smaller bloggers with less than 200 followers.  This is such an honor and a great springboard for those of us who are just starting out.  I am so excited to accept this and give Danielle the shout-out she deserves, what an inspiration she has been to me and the others whom she awarded.

As part of my acceptance of this award there are several steps I must take.....

If you chose to accept the award, the rules are as follows:

1. Thank the person who gave the award.
2. Link back to their blog.
3. Post the award onto your own blog.
4. Choose 5 new recipients with fewer than 200 followers.
5. Let each of them know about the award.

Well, steps 1-3 are done, now I must choose 5 of my own recommendations.  These lucky gals are as follows:

Keisha Hood at http://kustomtreasures.blogspot.com/  Keisha and I randomly met by an innocent order I place with CTMH 2 years ago and we have been friends ever since.  She is a single mom to the sweetest little guy and has recently gotten back into this wacky world of crafting!

Cathy Mount at http://iluvtomakecards.blogspot.com/  I actually JUST met Cathy last week.  We are on the same Design Team over at  Scrap Happy ,  She is so cute and outgoing and just loves to make cards and she does some super cute stuff.

Becky Carafa at http://www.lakeshorestamper.com/  I have never met her in person, but I have admired her work for a couple years now.  I randomly found her back when she was selling Ippity stamps and she is a fellow Ohioan.  Check her out.

Julie Emerine and her sister Michelle at http://sisterseesisterdo.blogspot.com/  I met Julie years ago before she had her GORGEOUS family and awesome blog.  She and her sister do just about everything crafty, sewing, altering, baking, cooking.  I love following them!

And finally....

Ashley Rock at http://rockpaperscrapbook.blogspot.com/  She is another fellow Ohioan and is a very talented scrapbook layout designer who has also done work with us at Scrap Happy.

Okay, steps 4-5 are done.  I hope that everyone will check this very talented girls out, and give them the love they deserve.

Hugs, Candy

Keisha's CTMH stamp challenge-Day 1

Just a quick post this evening.  My friend, Keisha, over at http://kustomtreasures.blogspot.com/ has struck up a challenge.  She is one of many fabulous CTMH consultants and she would like to see us use all of our CTMH stamp sets at least once and make a card, layout, or altered item.  She would like us to just randomly pick a set out of our stash, no put backs, but I had a card I needed to make for my friend, Mindy's   daughter for her upcoming Birthday and I JUST literally got this stamp set today so I figured, just this once, I would cheat!  ;). 

I used Card Chatter Birthday's as my stamp set and also used the sentiment on the inside, too, but didn't take a pic of that before I sealed it up.  And  I know, I know, it is the same paper line I have been using, but I am SO in love with it!!!!  Hope ya'll enjoy, have a fantastic night!

Jillibean Soup Masculine Thank You Card

Okay, I am not very good with masculine cards, but a friend of mine did me a HUGE favor this week and I needed an appropriate "thank you" card and since he is, well, a he, the occasion called for a masculine card.  I went to my Jillibean Soup card kit from this month's Card Kitchen because it had a masculine theme and I hadn't played around with it yet since I had already made my Father's Day cards.  I loved the bright bold colors that Jillibean is known for and I thought all the little accents and diecuts that come with the collection, which happen to be Macho Nacho Soup and it is SO stinkin' cute, were perfect for my sentiment and I adore the little name tag sticker that I used.  My friend, if you knew him you would find him equally as endearing, but he can be a little egotistical in a completely funny, loving, and self-deprecating way, does that make since? Anyway, I thought he would enjoy seeing his name in "lights"!  I've known him since Kindergarten so in the off chance he reads this blog post, he would concur with my assessment!  ;)

The card is very simple, just an Orange Fizz card base from Scrap Happy, a 1 1/2" strip of patterned paper on the bottom, some of Jillibeans corrugated shapes in the arrows, I used my Jenni Bowlin paint dabbers in Cough Syrup and Lemon Drops (which, of course can be found at Scrap Happy) to brighten them up a bit, adhered them toward the center pointing at my main image which was a perfectly fitting sticker from the collection adhered with pop dots.  Then I took the mini alphas, spelled out "thanks' and added that adorable name tag sticker I mentioned earlier.  This IS loosely based on a sketch from my kit this month, but I changed it around and gave it my own flair.  Not much flair, though, it is for a silly man! 

Super secret card and super secret sneak peek....shhhhh!!

I told you I was back and it's only been a mere 24 hours and here I am again!  This heat we're in the midst of has left me holed up in my craft room, but that certainly isn't a bad thing, I LOVE it!  

I have a lot of things I am working on at the moment, but I wanted to share a card I whipped up this evening for a dear friend, but it is, as I said, SUPER SECRET, so she cannot know. ;)  I used one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE paper lines, Neapolitan from Dear Lizzy for American Crafts.  This paper has been out since Winter CHA, but I really, really do love it and I use it all the time.  The colors are so soft and the images are so fresh and fun and definitely reminiscent of Summer.  It is just a simple Thank You card but I think it turned out SO cute.  I used up a lot of my 6x6 paper scraps with this one.   I kinda made my own patterned paper;  I cut out 1" strips of patterned paper from my scraps and adhered them on a scrap piece of paper in a diagonal pattern then I trimmed it down to 4" x 5 1/4" to fit on my standard A2 card base, then rounded the corners of both that and the card base.  Speaking of the card base it is from Scrap Happy of course and it is one of their exclusive colors, Sno Cone and it matches perfectly.  They sell their pre-scored and folded card bases with matching envelopes, YES, in the same color, SO, SO cute!  Anyway, I stamped the "thank you" with matching Sno Cone ink punched 3 hearts out of some remaining scraps and adhered them with pop dots to the little element from the paper pack.  I then wrapped it in some baker's twine and adhered that with more pop dots, but not until I cut and punched a 1 1/2" strip of Sno Cone cardstock.  Easy peasy!

NOW, for the SUPER SECRET sneak peek!  Scrap Happy has their own line of dies!  Okay, I know you already know that, right?  Well,  I  happen to be in possession of a future release die.  It is an envelope liner  die and it cuts and scores to fit into a standard A2 squared envelope and it fits PERFECTLY in the Scrap Happy envelopes!  I can't show you the die itself until it has been released, but here is a pic of the envelope I made for my card.  Isn't it the most awesome thing you have ever seen!? It just gives this and any card that little extra little something.  Can't wait to do more with it.

Until next time.......Hugs!

I'm BACK and back with a vengeance!

It has been a long time since I have blogged.  Far too long.  But I am back and back for good.  It has been a busy year thus far.  I have met some amazing friends, such as Miss Mindy, The Determined Scrapper, bought a new house on which we close next week, and really gotten down and dirty with my scrappy supplies.  I am excited to mention that I am part of the Scrap Happy design team and have already submitted my first project which I will also share with you.  If you haven't seen to the store or the online store, you must, if you are in Ohio or South East Michigan.  The absolute best scrapbook store around.  LOVE THEM!!!!

Anyway, I will make this a quick post since I was so long-winded on my post with Scrap Happy.  Here are the pics of my finished project and I invite you to read the post over there, it has all the nitty-gritty details :)  I used Glory from Authentique, my absolute FAVORITE paper company, from the very beginning.  I will be using this same line in my next DT post.  Next month I will be using their other new line called Fresh.  Amazing, as always.

My NEW favorite tool........

There it is, doesn't look like much, huh? But let me tell you, this is one amazing, MUST HAVE new thing-a-ma-bob! It's the newest toy fromWe R Memory Keepers, the Sew Ribbon. This is THE coolest thing ever! I thought I loved the Sew Easy, but this surpasses that and then some! I am doing a scrapbook on my garden & flowers and I thought this particular Sew Ribbon would be perfect, it is the Leaf. It is SO easy to use and that is the honest truth. The tool itself is very easy to manipulate & line up, it has a ruler on it and being that it is magnetic, it is impossible NOT to have it lined up with itself. The punch is quite sharp, so be careful in the presence of children, but it certainly does its job. I tried it through several weights of paper and even doubled up and it worked beautifully under all circumstances.

Each tool comes with 3 "needles". They are also sold separately & they are basically just adhesive acrylic pieces that help weave the ribbon through the punched holes, but although one could probably rig up his/her own version the "needles", they are imperative to using the tool with ease and really aren't that expensive so I will definitely keep myself well stocked with these handy-dandy little thing-a-ma-dos! We R have special ribbon to use and although it isn't necessary to buy their ribbon, it sure is a heck of a lot easier to always know you have the perfect size ribbon. The ribbon comes in 10 different color families with 3 shades and textures on each "spool". There are 6 different Sew Ribbon designs, each as beautiful as the last and guess what? I have them all, and guess where I got them? You betcha, Susie & Scrap Happy! She has the full line, everything and if you want to try them out before you buy them, she'll let ya! ;)

Here is my project with the Sew Ribbon on the bottom and then a close-up image. One side note, I used sheer ribbon for a more tone on tone affect, just my preference, but I used my Tim Holtz Distress ink in Peeled Paint and my sponge dauber and inked the holes that were punched so it didn't look so stark. That step would not be needed if using a more opaque ribbon, but I still think it looks great! Like I said, my new FAVORITE tool!