Going Old School; Cutting Out Photos

Remember that pretty much all we did was cut around the people in photos? Me too! And I haven't done that in years! Well there's a first for everything.

I love, love, love how this layout turned out. It's like what's old is new, but edgier!

What do you think?

Deadpool embellishment is print then cut from the Cricut.

Papers and acrylic pieces are from Close To My Heart

Nat'l Strawberry Day Watercolor Card

Happy National Strawberry Day. I swear there's a national holiday for just about anything but hey, it gives me excused to make theme specific cards!

I created this card by adding red watercolor paint on a thick piece of white cardstock. Then, I created my own patterned paper by stamping two different strawberry stamps and some paint splatter around it.

Once that was dried, I heat embossed a sentiment on patterned vellum and adhered this panel to the patterned paper using four white brads.

Hello! This card has so much going on. Watercoloring, embossing, stamping, vellum and brads.

Check out the process video on my YouTube channel and follow the Instagram Hop starting on my IG account, @3sons_and_astar

Designer Deep Dive Challenge Layout & YT Hop

Join a fun group of creators each month as we take on the Designer Deep Dive Hop! Each month Tara from @thepapersnob will select a designer or manufacturer to use on a layout. There will be some alternatives for some of the designers just in case you don’t have this designer or manufacturer in your stash.   You are not required to use 100% of this designer!  

This hop goes live on the FOURTH SATURDAY of the month. We will have a hop on YouTube and Instagram to show how we each used the designer for the month. 

The designer/manufacturer of the month is: Creative Memories, Stampin’ Up, or Close To My Heart. If you don’t have any of those, use an old kit club that you have hanging around. 

This is my first time participating in this hop but since I was at a scrapbooking retreat, I felt I had plenty of opportunity to complete it!

Here's my layout:

Close Up:

And the deets:

The collection I used was called Free To Be Me. It was an anniversary collection from CTMH years ago. I actually have two sets of this collection because I loved it so much. It also means that I still have a lot of it left over. That's ok. I feel like these colors and the patterns can go with pretty much everything.

Be sure to Hop along to the different videos, leave some comments and hopefully be inspired by the designers. The YouTube playlist link is below:

playlist

And my video:

Alcohol Marker Coloring

If you're like me, we're not great at all the detailed coloring. Look... I just want something pretty without too much work. 

On September 6th, it's National Read a Book Day so I created this card with that in mind. The stamp set is an oldie from CTMH called, In a Book.

It's a great set if you can find one.

Check out my quick YouTube video on how I colored the image!

And follow me on Instagram for more less popular holiday cards each month. @3sons_and_astar

Faux Postage Stamps Card; Jenlee Schoolcraft

Hey there. I'm showing off a really cool card in this post. You've probably seen this type but here's my version.

Now I've been heart-eying these faux stamp cards for awhile but haven't tried it since I didn't have the dies and/or stencil. Then I thought, hey I can probably make something with the Cricut! And I did. Here's the DS link

https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/68228b9b2d211ca3c08bccd7

I'm using the Happy Thoughts stamp set from CTMH which is from the Jenlee Schoolcraft website. Check out the website for new and slightly used crafty products at budget friendly prices!

Watch the YouTube process video to see how it was done.

Besides the inking and stamping, I also added lots of white pen marks and black pen lines around the edges.

I am so happy with the end result and the black card base really makes it pop!

The Jenlee Schoolcraft website stocks a variety of supplies and many are retired and/or out of commission like this stamp set. If you use the discount code "Dorlene", you'll get 10% off your order!

Sizzix Sidekick and Dies Challenge; Final Project

It's the last Saturday in March and this is the last project of my Sizzix Sidekick and Dies challenge. Since I'm out of town, I was limited to only a few supplies. I still managed to make a beautiful card for the challenge!

Be sure to watch the final YouTube process video to see how this was done.

Elvis Museum Layout

I'm starting my Memphis trip layouts so you're gonna see lots of Elvis themed pages. These pages are photos from the Entertainment Career Museum. I created lots of Elvis, music, and records cuts with my Cricut to add fun embellishments to the pages. 

I went to a four day scrapbooking retreat and finished lots of layouts - 31 to be exact! I packed light and really used my imagination on most of them. This two pager was a sketch challenge with other specifics. I love the paper choices which wasn't part of my plan.

Watch the process video because there's a lot going on with this layout. I hope to inspire you!

Video:

Multi Photo With Minimal Embellishments

I loosely followed a sketch by A Cherry On Top but added lots of photos. I wanted some embellishments but there wasn't much room for too many.

I was able to get some journaling, a title which expands both pages and a few on there.

There are 18 photos on this two page spread!

To get the small photos, I use the collage prints in a 4x6 format and the more photos you add, the smaller the photos. This is great for those pictures that don't necessarily need to be full photos.

The horizontal strips are 6" and the vertical strip is 2.5" and 10.5" tall.  The circles are 3".

All the embellishments were cut with the Cricut. Check the YouTube process video to see how it was completed.

TomKat Strut Challenges; Part Two

Hey there, I'm sure you had a chance to see the post & YouTube process video for the left side a.k.a. Part One of this two page spread. If not, check out the post HERE.

I used the same sketch to change this one page sketch to a two page spread. I love using sketches for a jumping point when creating layouts. It gives me a place to start instead of working with a blank page. Even when the sketch is not used exactly, you can see how it inspired the patterned papers placement. And of course, I added many more photos!

I basically did a mirror image of the left page for this one and I love how it flows!

Sketch is from Sketch n Scrap

Part One Layout:

And Part Two:

What do you think? Thumbs up?

TKS IV Challenges Layout Part One

I love using sketches to add paper to a layout base. It's a great way to start instead of staring at a blank page. This layout is inspired by this sketch from Sketch n Scrap

I turned this one page sketch into a two page layout. Here's the left side:

And here's the right (YT process video will be posted soon)

What I love about these pages:

The sneakers going across the bottom of them

Multi photos

Nautical themed kit used on a non-nautical page

Cute simple embellishments 

Measurements:

Yellow strip 11x3

Word paper 10x5

Star paper 8x8 square 

Watch the process YouTube video:

Fiesta Parade Layout Using Flip Flaps

Parades are so fun and of course we take lots of photos but how do we incorporate all the photos onto one layout? Flip Flaps!!

I was able to get 13 photos on this one 12x12 layout because I used an 8x12, 4x4 and 3x4 flaps!

The paperline I used is an older Stampin Up! line that is circus theme. I used my Cricut for the title letters and the Print/Cut embellishment, journaling strips for the journaling and sticker labels to add some more journaling to the photos.

Check out the YouTube process journaling to see how I created this layout!

Time To Strut Layout

Lots and lots of photos on this two page spread. I love using sketches to create the background of layouts and then completing the layouts with photos, embellishments and a title.

I realized as I was going through these photos is that I probably made a lot of them too small and maybe don't need to print ALL the photos submitted during our family's virtual marathon. But I really do like reliving the memories and it's hard to weed out some of them.

This two page spread started by using a sketch book by CTMH. I really like these sketches because they give the cutting dimensions so there's no guesswork. The vertical strips are 2.5 x 12 and 1.25 x 12" and the horizontal strips are 9.75x6 and .5 x 9.75". Easy Peasy!

After adding all the photos and a couple of embellishments, I thought I was done but then my daughter said it needed something else. Hmmm, probably a title.

So I created a simple one using the Cricut. I added a skinny bar across the bottom of the letters so adding them to the layout would be easy - it was!

Be sure to check out the YouTube process video

Let It Shine Layout; Rediscover Your Stash YT Hop

I’m participating in a YouTube hop with Rediscover Your Stash which is a Facebook group. This month is journaling. If I’m being honest, I’m really not sure what that means. So I talk a lot about journaling while creating this one page layout.

I’m also using a sketch from Stick It Down 

And here’s the layout. Journaling and all!

I used a paper pack from CTMH and embellishments from Pebbles. The rectangles are all 3.5 high; one is 11”, 7.5, and 3.5 square.

What are some creative ways that you journal? 

Check out the following hoppers!

Alex's Intro: https://youtu.be/4XXTf7Zi5Ls 

Sara: https://www.youtube.com/@SaraScraps

ScrapRona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6av0ACwWrY

Dorlene: https://www.youtube.com/@dorlenedurham

Mel W: https://www.youtube.com/@MelWScrapping

Bubbles Layout

This is one of my favorite things to do when creating a layout without a specific theme. Gather all things pink (in this case) and just layer and layer stickers, die cuts, etc

I went through my die cut embellishments and just had fun with them. This layout used three small photos of my granddaughter using her bubble machine. 

Left side and right 

I used patterned papers from CTMH and no solid cardstock!

See the YouTube process video:

Sketch n Scrap Layout Sketch #293

Normally, I like to say that I'm a scrapbooker who makes cards but lately I've really been more of a cardmaker that sometimes scrapbooks. I guess there's no surprise that I'm behind in my scrapbooking!

Well, to help get started with creating a layout, I love using sketches. This sketch from Sketch n Scrap was perfect for some selfies of my oldest granddaughter. I must have left my phone unattended because when I checked my photos later, I saw these silly photos of her.

She's probably going to hate this layout but hey, that's the price you pay when taking selfies on grandma's phone. Especially when you know she's a scrapbooker!

I used a paper & sticker pack from Close To My Heart called Wet Paint. It's so fun for a preteen/teenage vibe. Adding pink as the cardstock base really gave this a feminine look and helped coordinate it to her shirt.

I cut the blue vertical strip at 4.5x11 and the heart graffiti strip at 3.5x11. As you can see in the YouTube process video, the black/white checked paper is .75" and about 8" long but I did some magic to extend that piece. Here are some closeups of the two embellishment clusters:

The acrylic pieces were part of the Wet Paint collection and add some cool dimension. I added pink and black splatter all over the layout as well as some bright enamel dots. So fun!

Check out the video:

Be sure to check out the Sketch n Scrap Blog for all the sketches and inspiration. There's also a Facebook page if you prefer that.

NOTE: It's going to be interesting to learn more about the future of CTMH products, etc. I've been hearing rumors but not sure of what is true or not. I guess I'll wait and see. Either way, I'm a fan of Stampin Up! as well so...win-win for me.