Christmas in July #2

Today's card actually uses a cream background, something that I thought I'd never really do in my modern craft life.  I don't know why but I've always been biased against creams and off whites, partially because I've always just thought of them as scummy white, but I'm learning to move past that particular neurosis.

I really tried to mimic falling snow with my random placement of elements.  I also tried to steer away from my fallback of using large blocks of colors and patterns to create interest.

I really enjoy this fun, simple, and whimsical design.  I might have to make some duplicates for the holiday season!

Hoarder's Hump Day

Not much has changed since this photo was taken.  I still prefer sleeping surrounded by too many pillows and blankets.  This is a Hoarder's Hump Day of me trying to use a bunch of stickers and buttons that I've had stored away for way too long.

I think the page turn out slightly lack luster but I also think it serves it purpose.  I try not to stress  too much over Hoarder's Hump Day pages since the main goal isn't to create the most beautiful art in the world but more so to keep from being wasteful and the like.

I did get to use some new thickers though so that was exciting.  I love when I get to use glitter to make a page sparkle!

Identifiable Elements:

• Blue patterned paper- "I Love My Family" collection by Echo Park Paper Co.
• Border stickers- "Pretty Party" collection by Crate Paper
• Green glitter buttons- Favorite Findings by BlumenthalLansing Company
• Thickers- Alpha chips by Me & My Big Ideas

Glitter Gone Wild

Today's page really tested my patience to make.  I impulsively decided to cover a majority of a piece of plain blue card stock in gold glitter to make a cool looking pattern, but I didn't totally think it through.  Not really a total shock given my personality.

While the glitter background turned out really cool, it presented a massive problem in which I couldn't get anything to stay glued to the glitter.  I ended up lightly scraping away some glitter to get glue and mini glue dots to stay attached to the page after trying multiple other techniques (I almost resorted to gorilla glue but wasn't sure how that would affect my photographs).

Despite the fact that this page took me literal days to make when most of my pages require about a quarter of that effort.  I really think it looks cool.  I'm not entirely sure how well it'll hold up, but we'll see.

It really should be used for a Hoarder's Hump Day since I can only identify one element in it but at the effort equated to the page being more than that.

Identifiable Elements:

• Jewels - Jewel Borders by Forever in Time Paper Craft Collection

Couldn't Wait 'Til Wednesday

This page probably should've been saved for a Hoarder's Hump Day but I'm just too proud of it to wait!  I'm super excited that I got to use the custom Thickers of glitter that I had originally made for a different page.  I had ended up not using them because I didn't think they worked but when I found these photos and realized the phrase and the date were right I immediately knew I had to work with them!

Lots of times I find myself trying to steer away from red and especially yellow so I'm really proud of myself for embracing this background paper.  I'm surprised at how much I ended up loving it!

I used a lot of things I'd been hoarding so unfortunately the pieces I can identify is limited.  It's my goal to eventually pare down my stash to only things that I name but I believe that's just a pipe dream at this point.

Identifiable Elements:

• Background paper- School Days collection by Bazzill Basics Paper
• Rhinestones- Adhesive Gems by Simply Creative
• Custom thickers- DIYthickers in Shoebox by American Crafts

Can I Legally Marry Paper?

I was so excited to make this page because I got to use some of the paper from a collection of 6x6" that I fell in love with awhile back.  The Wild Card Collection by Bo Bunny speaks to me on an emotional level that I can't explain (maybe a little dramatic for paper but I don't care).

I loved cutting out the fun shapes and mixing and matching them to get just the right balance.  I also got to use some cream colored ribbon that I have a surplus of but never get around to using.  

Overall, I absolutely love how this page turned out and I really enjoyed making it.

Finding geometric balance on a page is one of my favorite things to do.

Identifiable Elements:

• Patterned papers- Wild Card 6x6" Collection by Bo Bunny
• Enamel hearts and circles- Enamel Shapes by We R Memory Keepers
• Ribbon- Grosgrain Ribbon by Stampin' Up!
• Lettering- Marquise Pearl Letter Stickers by American Crafts Thickers

Challenge YOUrself

Today I decided to take on another challenge from another favorite challenge blog of mine, the Challenge YOUrself blog.  The challenge was to make a page featuring one of your pets and you.  This task proved to be more difficult than I initially thought as I came to realize that I have very few pictures of myself with my pets actually printed.  I settled on this one of me as a child with a friend and my dog Sam.

I don't have many pictures with this dog as we unfortunately had to put him down not long after getting him so that makes this page extra special.  I used the last of my chipboard triangles that I'd been holding onto for way too long and got to use the papers I'd been admiring but not actually utilizing.

I'm pretty pleased with the way this page turned out and even more pleased to have purged through some of my excessive hoard in the process.

Identifiable Elements:

• Blue paper- Modern Graphics Deluxe Paper by Cricut
• Triangle paper- Modern Graphics Deluxe Paper by Cricut

June 19th is Coming Quicker Than You Think

I know we're a good couple months away from Father's Day but I was going through some of the Creative Memories diecuts my mom gave me awhile back and was hit with some inspiration so I had to run with it.  Besides, I'm pretty sure my dad isn't even aware that I have this blog.  Making cards for guys is pretty tough for me, especially since most of the papers I've inherited have flowers on them, but this one was quick and enjoyable.

It Feels Good to be Back

It's been months since I've been able to do any scrapbooking or card making and the withdrawal was killing me.  My house was under renovation and all of my stuff was in boxes in the basement behind the couch--so close, yet so far.  Today was the first day that my stuff was unpacked enough for me to do something and took advantage!  I made this lovely page with scraps I had from various other scrapping projects.  I really love it and am really glad I can start getting back into the swing of things.  The colors in the photos I took of the pages are a little off but that's what happens when the weather has been as moody as it has been...

Funky Fall

I was looking around at other blogs that I've fallen behind reading and I stopped by Pixels and Paper Challenges for this challenge.  I really liked the inspiration photo for this month because it was fall but not the traditional fall colors.

I decided to focus on the far right panel of the painting in the photo with the purples, yellows, and blues.  I also like the idea of falling leaves and the vertical orientation of the canvases that reminded me of stripes.  I  scrapped a photo of one of my friends and I that was taken when we got back from the Jelly Belly factory in the hats they give out.