Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Citrus Twist October Sneaks

Tomorrow is the first day of October which means the reveal of Citrus Twist's October Kits! 

To give you a little hint of what's to come, I am sharing a few sneaks of October's Add-On Kit....

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Check back tomorrow for the full reveal!
 
Michelle

Monday, September 29, 2014

Big Cookies, Little Girls

Good morning! Today I want to share a simple technique that was inspired by this image I found on Pinterest.

The image features a starburst radiating out from the top left corner. I thought this would be a fun way to incorporate several pieces of the patterned paper in the Citrus Twist September Free Spirit Main Kit.

First, I took a sheet of 8.5 x 11 kraft paper, drew my pattern on it using a ruler. and cut it out with my paper trimmer.  I then numbered each piece so that I could remember what went where.
 
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Next, I traced the templates onto my three pieces of patterned paper and cut them out.
 
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And here is the starburst all put together:
 

Big Cookies
 
Often times when I think of a starburst I picture it radiating out from a focal point and had I not seen the image on Pinterest, I am sure I would never have thought to have used it as I did.
 

Big Cookies 2
 
Big Cookies 3  

Tomorrow I will be sharing sneaks of Citrus Twist's October Add-On Kit, so make sure and stop on by!

Michelle
 

 
 


Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Pool

Now that it is officially fall, I thought I would share a summer layout ;).
 
Pool
 
Pool 2
 
.Pool 3
 
 
 
This particular layout was inspired by Lilith Eeckels' Layering Class and, as you can see, I definitely brought the layers for this layout! (P.S. I really tried to edit away the blue skintone that my daughter is sporting, but my amatuer skills were no match to the plain fact that my daughter really was looking a little....blue. Still wondering how it was possible that a swimming pool in Las Vegas in June was freezing cold???)
 
As a member of the scrapbooking community, I believe in supporting other scrapbookers as much as I am able.  In most cases, this means I am a dedicated blog reader. I love reading about other's processes, seeing their work, commenting, and sharing in galleries and Pinterest.  And, when I have the room in my scrappy budget, I take classes from other scrapbookers.

I love taking classes.  I finished college before my girls were born and I miss it!  Ha.  I am a nerd.  Nothing beats being in the classroom, smelling those lovely, thick books, and getting assigned homework.  And honestly, I dream of going back to school and working on another degree or a masters (which, by the way, slightly frightens my husband). Taking scrappy classes is one way that I fill that ever present need to learn as well as provides me with opportunities for my craft and style to grow and evolve. 

Wishing you a great day!

Michelle
 
 
 

Saturday, September 20, 2014

John Green

I know this is a little odd, but I am a little resistent to reading books that "everyone" is raving about, especially when there are movies coming out and the hype is crazy. I did not start reading the Harry Potter series until Book 3 came out.  I started the Twilight Saga after Eclipse hit theaters. I only read Hunger Games because my mom made me. 

Naturally of course, John Green's The Fault In Our Stars recieved the same response.  This time though, before I caved in to peer pressure completely, I rebelled and read another John Green novel first. 

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Looking for Alaska appealed to me in a "My So Called Life" sort of a way. In Looking for Alaska, Green very deftly and convincingly communicates the coming-of-age anxiety and angst that permeates those days when you are transitioning from a teenager to an adult.  You know, those intense feelings that no adult can even possibly understand that threaten to overtake your ability to function?  Those.  And Green does so in a way that is both realistic and compelling.  I could not put this book down. 
 
Finally, I opened up A Fault In Our Stars and I was not dissappointed.  I knew the basic premise of the book and its outcome before starting the novel, but I could not have guessed at how deeply the tragedy would cut.  I'm not talking about cancer and the toll it takes.  Certainly cancer is tragic-no argument there-but what I am referring to is the act of living while dying.  The knowing that life is going to come to an end and trying to grasp all that you can, while you can; the struggle of worrying about those you are leaving and not wanting to leave them.....  John Green captures the non-physical part of the cancer and it's devistating. 
 
Love them both.
 
Michelle


Friday, September 19, 2014

Bloom

In my last post, I professed my love for SC's Brighton Pier and Crate's Notes & Things and today I want to continue along that line with another layout combining the two.

Last May, which feels like eons ago, my husband and I went on a four hour hike to explore an old Native American site.  Along the way I stopped and photographed all the beautiful blooms.  The area we were at can best be described as high desert and it is always so suprising to see the flora that erupts from such a dry and sandy land.

Bloom
 
Bloom 3
 
Bloom 2
 
 
Crazy how such a beautiful, HOT PINK flower blooms from a cactus!  Mother Nature is truly amazing.
 
Michelle
 
 

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Explore

Lately, I have been on a sketch kick and have been dedicating one layout a week to a sketch that has caught my interest. 

This time I was once again inspired by a Sunday Sketch from Studio Calico and put it to use with pictures of my husband and I on a hike we did in May.

Explore
 
Explore 2
 
Explore 3
 
Explore 4
 
And was I super surprised when on Monday I found out that Explore was the Featured Member Layout of the Week!  Fun stuff!
 
This layout was put together with a combination of products from SC's Brighton Pier and Crate's Notes & Things, two lines that I believe were made for each other (In fact, I finally just gave up and combined the two lines as opposed to keeping them seperated.)  I had originally planned to use a white background, but went with a kraft one instead.  Really digging how great the gold looks on the kraft.
 
Michelle
 

Friday, September 12, 2014

Collect

My oldest daughter is a collector. Everywhere we go she is always on the lookout for anything interesting.  Of course, the beach is full of amazing possibilities and I chose to document a few of these items from a July beach trip.

Collect
 
Collect 2
 
Collect 3
 
This page also has a co-ordinating pocket page:
 
Collect 4
 
 
Collect 5
 
Michelle