Those Words

Every so often I read a blog post where someone is talking about being inspired by product.  And I never quite understand - I love all my pretty paper and embellishments but they don't really inspire a project. 

But then I got my hand on these acetate words from the Life Noted Collection by Pinkfresh Studio. 

I had a pack in my stash but haven't cracked them open.  But a partial pack came in my April Citrus Twist kits - And they are amazing.  The colors are bright and fun, but the translucent nature of the product adds a certain lightness. I immediately tried to use as many of them as I could on a single layout.

My first idea was to use them to create a patterned paper feel across the bottom of my layout - and that looked pretty awesome, but I couldn't figure out the rest of the layout.  So I ended up with a basic grid design.

Products from April kits at Citrus Twist kits

They were so much fun and really framed the photo perfectly.  I was also excited to see how well they worked with other embellishment pieces - especially the Amy Tangerine Better Together rubber bits. 

I've just about used up the ones that came in my kit - now the challenge is to keep myself from hoarding the pack I have in my stash.  Oh - and when I was looking for a product photo for this post, they were gone at most of my favorite online stores.  But it turns out they are on sale at Scrapbook.com.

Hope you have a great Monday. 

Quick and Easy

I've been complaining for a while now about missing mojo.  It's not back yet, but I think its getting close.  This week I experimented with simple grid designs.  I often find them the easiest to put together.  I shared my favorite yesterday, but here are a couple more quick layouts that came together in the past week.

Products from Studio Calico and Citrus Twist Kits

This one was inspired by a Friday night challenge on the Paper Issues facebook page.  I had to feature patterned paper, die cuts, flair and enamel dots.  (You could use other products too.)  My favorite thing about this grid was the way I let little bits hang off the edges so that it wasn't perfectly rectangular.  I also like the combination of bright colors and a black and white photo.

Products from Studio Calico, Citrus Twist Kits and Pinkfresh Studios.

Here's the second one.   I started with the two long strips on the side and grew my grid from there.  The colors really are my favorite thing.  And that pink square with the large gold circle - its a piece of the scratch off paper in the Studio Calico Pop Art kits - I love the look without scratching the dot.

Tomorrow is a me day - I took the day off as a birthday present to myself.  I'm hoping to spend some concentrated hours in my scrap room in search of that elusive mojo.  I have a feeling I will be scrapping like crazy when it makes an appearance. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Spring

Each week Studio Calico posts a challenge from a member on their blog.  (I dream about being asked to do this).  The challenges are always fun, but last week's is one of my all time favorites.  It inspired a layout I would never have thought to make.

The challenge was to use a quote and leftover pictures and/or scraps of pictures.  And I have lots of pieces of pictures left from cropping.  I never want to throw them away but I have no idea why I am saving them. 

When I saw the challenge I immediately thought of photo scraps of a handbook spread I did last year with photos of spring flowers.  And of of my favorite project life card in the Lisse Street project life add-ons.  It had a quote about spring from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Came the spring with all its splendor,

all its birds and all its blossoms,

all its flowers and leaves and grasses

Maybe its because the winter was so rough, but the quote touched me as soon as I saw the card.

I arranged the photo scraps and the card in a simple grid.  Then I pulled out the Lisse Street 4x6 paper pad and cut small pieces to fill in the gaps.  I don't have a sewing machine but I love the look people get when they stitch and then bend up the papers, so I tried to replicate it.  I put a strip of adhesive down the middle and bent the edges up.

The project life card is attached to a vellum scrap and mounted with foam tape.  Then I added a few simple embellishments and some ink splatters to finish off the page.  

Use up those photo scraps and link me up with your projects.  I'd love to see.

Thanks for stopping by.

Those Maggie Holmes Alphas

I am a confessed hoarder (though I am working on it) and I love my stash.  And alphas are one of my most favorite thing.  So When the new Maggie Holmes acetate alpha came with my Lisse kits, I feel in love.  And I couldn't wait to use it......

I only got the blue ones so I am going to have to order a set.......

I loved the scale - they are about 2 inches wide - and the distressed finish.  They are just so fun.  (Please note that I am a recovering hoarder - I loved them and wanted to use them :)  )

So I decided to use them as the starting point for a layout with a photo from Thanksgiving - our family has a Tripoley tradition and we often play for pennies when we get together.

I used my tiny attacher to create a title up the side of my page.  I loved that it totally filled the space.  I even had to trim the "P".  Then I pulled papers and other bits from my Lisse Street kits to create the simple grid.  That light blue card is a project life card I trimmed down and the sentiment on it is from another PL card.  And of course it took a few ink splatters to finish of the layout.

Thanks for stopping by.