Dreamin' Big

Catching Up

2012-02-11T13:04:00.004-05:00

Every now and then I like to catch you all up on layouts I've done just for the fun of it, and that's what I'm all about today! These pages go back to before Christmas, since I'm in a little bit of a scrapping slump lately (I've been busy playing with the NOOK Color I got for Christmas, lol!)

This first layout was done for a challenge at The Digichick that wanted you to scrap a page featuring your favorite color. I used the kit Transformation by Dawn by Design:

I used the kit Cat's Meow by ViVa Artistry for these next two layouts. The first layout was done for a recipe challenge:

And this layout was done for a scraplift challenge:

I saved the best for last since I'm so geeked about this layout. My Scrapbook Art magazine has a designer contest every month where the featured designer creates a free kit that you can download and use to make a page for a challenge. December's mini was called Feels Like Christmas by Baers Garten Designs, and the challenge was to create a layout in a 8.5" x 11" instead of 12" x 12" format. This is my entry:

...and the reason I'm loving this is that I WON the challenge, which earned me a $20 gift certificate to Baers Garten's shop at Scrapbook Graphics! Man, I had fun spending that prize! She creates vintage-y kits that I think will work well for me as I continue to wade through all those old family photos.

Well, that wraps things up for today. Have a good weekend, stay warm, and I'll see you soon!

A Whimsical Heart

2012-02-11T12:49:00.002-05:00

Love is definitely in the air as we come closer to Valentine's Day! New in the shop at The Digichick is this sweet bundle from geniaBeana Scraps called A Whimsical Heart:

I did a layout about friends that we love:

For a closer look at the main kit:

You can get the bundle HERE, but as usual, each of the components can be bought individually!

I've got a catch-up post in the works, so I'll see you soon!

Treasures of My Heart

2012-02-08T09:07:00.002-05:00

Hi all! As we all know, February is the month of Valentine's Day, so the shops are full of *love*ly goodies! New this week at Brownie Scraps is this creation from Scraps by Mara called Treasures of My Heart:

It's a perfect mix of elegance and grunge. Here's a layout I did of a rather unique expression of love:

You can pick the kit up HERE at Brownie Scraps!

Every Day Life Continues

2012-01-27T08:52:00.004-05:00

I'm ba-ack! Wishing Wells Creations has added to her Every Day Life collection with a new set of templates, still in a simple blocked format, but with a little white space thrown in:

I'm having fun using the tools designed for the various life-documenting projects for my own purposes. These simpler blocked layouts are a change of style for me! Here's a page I did with one of the templates and some items from Wishing Wells' Every Day Life bundles, which I showed you HERE:

You can grab the templates at the Digichick shop HERE. Have fun, and I hope you'll come back to see me soon!

Every Day Moments

2012-01-26T10:37:00.004-05:00

Greetings! As promised, I'm back to show you some new goodies. Val of geniaBeana Scraps has created what is going right to the top of my list of "Favorite Designs of Hers For All Time". The kit is called Every Day Moments, and on it's own, it's a gorgeous mix of colors, textures, and patterns. But wait, there's more! You can also get a huge add-on alpha collection and coordinating journal card pack! Here's a look at the kit:

The full bundle:

The colors and patterns put me in the mood to do a heritage-type page, so I pulled out that box of my Mom's photos and came up with this layout:

You can pick up the value bundle HERE at The Digichick, and if you only need part of the bundle, the individual components are available separately as well!

I'll be back tomorrow with my other new layout for the week. See you then!

New at Brownie Scraps

2012-01-25T08:35:00.003-05:00

Hi all! I've got a couple of new goodies to show you from my designer gals at Brownie Scraps! Continuing her trend from last week of creating bright, fun kits to bring some spark to gray winter days, Scraps by Mara has released this mini kit called Simply Bright:

I used it to scrap a photo from last summer that I lifted from my sister's Facebook page:

Ohana Designs has released an elegant new kit called Sophistication:

I thought the colors were perfect for this layout featuring a new baby cousin on John's side of the family:

You can get Sophistication HERE and Simply Bright HERE!

I'll be seeing you again in a few days, so make sure you stop back soon!

Frolic in the Sun

2012-01-17T02:27:00.001-05:00

Hi all! How is your winter going so far? We have had fairly mild weather here in Michigan...I'm waiting for the inevitable blizzard. While I'm waiting, I'm catching some digital rays playing with this new release from Scraps by Mara, called Frolic in the Sun:

Don't you love all the bright yellow? I used it for this layout:

You can get this kit HERE, and if you'd like to hop on over to Mara's blog, you can pick up a free pack of coordinating mulberry papers!

All Boy

2012-01-11T02:38:00.001-05:00

Hi all! Scraps by Mara has a new kit in the shop at Brownie Scraps called All Boy:

I had no trouble at all finding photos of an adorable little boy to scrap:

Love those little critter stickers, and how about that alpha! Have a good day, and I'll see you soon!

And Now, For Something a Little Different...

2012-01-09T20:58:00.005-05:00

So many of us are inspired at the beginning of a new year to join one of the many memory-keeping projects that can be found...Project Life, the P365 / P52 / P12 projects, A-Week-In-The-Life, One-Little-Word, what have you (feel free to Google any of these if you have no idea what I'm talking about, lol). If you were with me a couple of years ago, you may remember I did Project 365 in 2010, taking one photo a day for an entire year, and in my case, scrapping weekly layouts.

To that end, Laura of Wishing Well Creations has developed a huge collection of digital tools to help you scrap your year-long memories, no matter how you're doing it. I don't think I'm going to do any of these projects this year, but...I remembered I never made a title page for my 2010 project! Laura to the rescue, with these freebies that can be had on her blog, her Facebook Fan page, or as a free gift when you sign up for Wishing Well Creations' newsletter:

The blog freebie:

The Facebook/newsletter freebie:

And here's the title page I made, pulling a few photos from the inner pages of my P365 album, and recoloring one of the papers:

But wait, there's more! (I love saying that, lol) Wishing Well Creations also has for sale in the shop at The Digichick these two bundles of papers, templates, date bits, and journal cards:

Grab a template, pop in some photos, a few journaling cards, and some papers, and you have captured a memory! You can get the bundles at a great value, or look around in the shop to pick up individual components as you need them. Get Volume 1 HERE and Volume 2 HERE.

I found the bundles useful for scrapping regular layouts, too! Take a look at this multi-photo layout of some photos from last summer:

The alpha and accent elements are from WWC's bundle Brady's Room, which shares the same color palette as the Everyday Life bundles.

Here's looking forward to saving those memories we will make this year, big and small!

Looking Ahead to the New Year

2011-12-29T08:59:00.006-05:00

Hi all! Is everyone enjoying their holiday season? I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to an even more wonderful New Year. While I have lots of Christmas photos that need scrapping, this past week I've had fun working with some new kits that look ahead to the New Year.

First up is the Almost Midnight bundle by geniaBeana Scraps, new today HERE at The Digichick:

Don't you love that it's not overwhelmingly glittery and shiny? I do! The parts of the bundle can be had individually, but I used a little bit of everything. Here's a look at the main kit:

And here is a layout:

Scraps by Mara joined the fun too, with this kit called New Year, New Me, available HERE at Brownie Scraps:

Again, it's not a total party kit, which makes it really versatile. I used it for a non-holiday layout:

I'm SO looking forward to what the New Year will bring. See you soon!

More Seasonal Goodies

2011-12-13T05:46:00.001-05:00

I am having so much fun scrapping layouts using the seasonal kits that Scraps by Mara is creating! New today in the shop at Brownie Scraps are two new offerings, both on sale today only for 25% off. After today they are regular price.

First up is a definitely Christmas-themed kit called Oh Christmas Tree:

I thought the warm, saturated colors were ideal for this photo from last year:

Still seasonal, but more about winter than the holiday is this kit, Feels Like Winter:

Unfortunately, the photo in this layout isn't from last year, but from last month:

Both these kits make me want to go get some hot cocoa...so see you soon!

Vintage Christmas

2011-12-06T06:31:00.000-05:00

I love the holiday season, and I am just captivated by this newly released holiday kit from Scraps by Mara called Vintage Christmas:

As soon as I unzipped the kit and got a good look at the swirly glittery Christmas tree and the luscious distressed paper, I knew just what I wanted to do:

The love affair with the kit continued for a layout with a *vintage* photo:

The kit is 25% off for today only...hop over to Scraps by Mara's shop and check it out. There are also more holiday goodies in our future, so stay tuned!

Chick Fix at The Digichick!

2011-11-29T09:12:00.011-05:00

Happy December! It's such a great month, what with the holidays and all! I just started playing my Christmas music...how about you?

I've got an announcement! I have joined the Creative Team of Wishing Well Creations at The Digichick! Laura is a fellow Michigander and made the compelling argument that us girls from the Mitten State need to stick together, lol! So here I am! I had already bought and worked with her kit Cornucopia, but today I want to show you what I came up with using some of her contributions to the new Chick Fix collection at The DigiChick. First, here's a peek at the palette for the Fix:

Laura used part of the palette to create this Christmas-themed mini kit:

...and a set of embossed papers that includes the entire palette of the Fix:

Combining the two, I did this layout of John and I from last Christmas:

I'm really looking forward to working with more of Laura's kits, so stay tuned!

But wait, there's more!

Val of geniaBeana Scraps has a couple of contributions to the Chick Fix too! She came up with this yummy alpha:

...and a dotted cardstock paper pack, also giving us the entire palette:

I combined them with Val's kit Merry and Bright, also releasing today:

...to create this layout:

While the current Chick Fix collection will be in the shop until Feb 29, it's only on sale for the first week or so....so make sure you head over soon!

Brr, It's Cold!

2011-11-29T09:07:00.003-05:00

As we work our way past Thanksgiving and towards Christmas, the weather outside here in Michigan gets rather chilly. But here's a wonderful new kit from Scraps by Mara to celebrate the time of year! It's called Brr, It's Cold, and you can pick it up HERE at Brownie Scraps:

While it's not technically a Christmas kit, I used it to scrap this photo from last year's holiday:

As usual, if you want to pick the kit up for 25% off, head over to the Brownie Scraps shop today!

From Black Friday to Cyber Monday

2011-11-26T15:36:00.004-05:00

...you can get these fun kits from geniaBeana Scraps on sale at The DigiChick! If they look familiar, yes, you have seen them before, but they are totally new to Val's new shop. First is Queen For a Day:

I used this kit plus a new alpha:

and a new template collab with Cluster Queen Creations:

to rework one of my older layouts:

And, making its appearance is Dood!:

Perfect for little guy layouts:

They're on sale until Monday when they go back to regular price, so hop on over to The Digichick now!

This n That

2011-11-22T10:40:00.009-05:00

Hi all! When I woke up this morning I thought I had to go to work and then I remembered it was my day off. Woot! So here I am vegging in front of the computer and catching you up on the random challenge layouts I've done in the last month or so. Let's get started, shall we?

Here's a layout I did for a recipe challenge at ScrapMatters:

I used geniaBeana's kit Hocus Pocus which is available at ScrapMatters today only for 40% off as she is closing up her shop there. If you miss the closing sale you can still get the kit HERE at The DigiChick!

This next layout, using Ella Fun by Dylabel Designs and Pop! by geniaBeana worked for challenges at both SM and Scrappity Doo Dah:

Here's another layout I did for a challenge at SDD, this time a scraplift:

I used a kit called Visible Changes by Picture Designs.

The DigiChick had a Facebook freebie hop and a bunch of challenges to celebrate Digital Scrapbooking Day on Nov. 5. One of their challenges was to use a certain combination of the freebies to create a layout about what inspires you to scrap. This is what I came up with:

A recent wedding in our family provided TONS of memories to scrap, so if you're seeing some recently familiar faces in the next few layouts, you can thank my new niece Jenn for sharing so freely on her Facebook page! The two pages you'll see first were both done with a kit called Transformation by Dawn by Design for challenges at The DigiChick.

For a template challenge:

And for a color challenge, the color required being teal:

And last, we have this layout for a challenge that asked you to use a 3-word title and then add some journaling to explain the title:

For this page I used a wonderful kit called Autumn Nights from Etc by Danyale.

Okay, peeps! That about wraps it up for today. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday if you're in a part of the world that celebrates it. And, just as in the brick-and-mortar world, the weekend after Turkey Day can be a time for scoring some great digital deals, so check back after the holiday to see what some amazing designers have to offer at great prices!

Shaolin

2011-11-22T02:44:00.000-05:00

New today in the shop at Brownie Scraps is this Oriental-themed kit from Scraps by Mara called Shaolin:

While it's perfect for martial arts-type layouts, it didn't occur to me to take pictures when my girls took karate all those years ago. No worries! The kit is nice and versatile:

I love the colors and the paper textures. It's on sale for 25% off today only!

New Today at Brownie Scraps

2011-11-15T09:13:00.005-05:00

Hi all! I've got some great new goodies to show you today! Ohana Designs has released a gorgeous, romantic kit called My Sweet Angel:

I was inspired to do this layout:

You can also pick up a coordinating alpha set HERE:

I used the alpha with the kit to make this second layout:

Now, on a different note, we have this totally awesome girly kit from Scraps by Mara called, what else, Girly Girl:

And here's the fun I had with this kit:

Don't you just love a girly kit that features the color purple? I do!

Basically Elegant at The DigiChick!

2011-11-12T12:45:00.004-05:00

Hi all! Wow, it's been a week since I've posted. I'm still spending a lot of time outdoors getting the homestead cleaned up for winter, but I think this weekend should finish things off. In any case, here's some news: geniaBeana Scraps has released her kit Basically Elegant into her guest shop at The DigiChick:

You may remember this layout I did last year with the kit and one of Val's templates:

She also created a brand new set of neutral dotty cardstocks that coordinate with this or any other neutral colored kit:

I've decided I love dotty cardstocks in any color! You can pick these up HERE.
I've got a post planned soon to catch you up on what I've been doing to keep myself entertained, so check back soon!

Feelin' Groovy on Digital Scrapbooking Day!

2011-11-05T01:52:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Happy Digital Scrapbooking Day! I hope everyone in digiscrap land is having fun playing games, entering contests, and adding to their stashes! In honor of DSD, Val of geniaBeana Scraps has put together an awesome Grab Bag for you to grab up! The bag includes a full kit that's sure to be a long time favorite, an add-on alpha, add-on messy splats, dotty cardstock pack, and template pack!

The grab bag is already a great value, but this weekend it's on sale at The Digichick for 30% off! And yes, you saw that correctly! For the month of November, geniaBeana Scraps is a guest designer at The Digichick! It's a fun place with a great group of people!

I HAD to go with an older photo for a kit called Feelin' Groovy:

Well, I'm off to play in digiland for a while! See you soon!

Fall Frolic

2011-11-02T09:27:00.003-04:00

The November Mix-A-Kit collection is in at ScrapMatters, and Val of geniaBeana Scraps has outdone herself with her contribution! Her collection is called Fall Frolic, and here's a peek at the papers, alpha, and elements:

But wait, there's more! The collection also includes a coordinating dotted cardstock pack, a shabby solids cardstock pack, a glossy style set, and a glitter style set! As usual, each part of the collection can be had individually, and is on sale for 20% off right now. So head over to the ScapMatter shop HERE and check it out!
Here's a layout I did with the collection:

Check back tomorrow for an awesome announcement! I'll see you then!

New Goodies and a DSD special!

2011-11-01T19:24:00.004-04:00

Hi all! Happy November!

The digiscrap world is gearing up for Digital Scrapbooking Day, which is this Saturday, November 5th. I need to clue you in on this special DSD mini kit from Scraps by Mara. It's called Got Stripes?, and it's only available from now until November 7th, so head over to Mara's shop by this weekend to pick it up!

A look at the kit:

And here's a page I did with it:

There will be more exciting DSD announcements for you later in the week, but for now let's have fun with some goodies new in the Brownie Scraps Shop today! Ohana Designs has created another sweet mini, this one called Me and My Dolly:

Mini kits are great for creating clean and simple layouts, like this one:

...and Scraps by Mara has another fun kit, this one called Bubble Gum:

I thought the colors in this kit were perfect for these photos I'd been hanging on to for a while:

You might notice the alpha in the title isn't in the kit, and you're right! That's because it's a freebie on Mara's BLOG, so head on over and pick it up!

New Brownie Scraps Goodies

2011-10-25T00:23:00.000-04:00

New baked goods in the Brownie Shop today from Ohana Designs and Scraps by Mara! First up we have Relax With Me, a mini-kit:

Also available is this coordinating alpha set with three different alphas!

Nothing says "relax" to me like a sleeping kitty:

For something really lovely, here is Blush:

I thought these older, somewhat tinted photos worked so well with this kit:

Remember, Fresh Baked goodies are on sale for 25% off today only, so hurry on over to the shop!

Manic Monday!

2011-10-24T01:00:00.001-04:00

Hi all! One of the features at the shop at ScrapMatters is their weekly Manic Monday sale, where select designers offer up goodies for $2 OR 50% off, for that day only. Val of geniaBeana Scraps is getting into the spirit of things by including her awesome Halloween-themed kit, Haunted, for today's sale:

Here's a page I did recently for a template challenge over at ScrapMatters:

Remember, Manic Monday deals expire at the end of the day, so head on over to the shop ASAP!

New Today at Brownie Scraps

2011-10-18T05:35:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Tuesday is new release day at Brownie Scraps and both Ohana Designs AND Scraps by Mara have new goodies for you! First is this sweet and softly hued kit called Dance Like No One is Watching:

Pick the kit up HERE!

Also soft in colors, but a little more substantial is Summer Ends, which is available HERE:

I hope you pick them up and enjoy working with them! I know I did!

Hocus Pocus

2011-10-14T09:57:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Did you miss me? It seems like forever since I posted here. I haven't done much scrapping lately, I've been so busy! Autumn is yard cleanup time, the Detroit Tigers are in the American League Playoffs so I HAVE to watch the games on TV, and I was earning a little extra cash at my sister's yard sale.

With all that, I couldn't resist cutting a little time out of my schedule to scrap with this awesome new collection, a collab between Val of geniaBeana Scraps and CT buddy Melissa of Cluster Queen Creations. It's called Hocus Pocus:

Now let me tell you, this collab is HUGE, which is why I'm only showing you the bundle preview. If I showed you each individual preview, this post would go on for days.

There is the kit.

The templates.

The solid paper pack.

The dotted cardstock pack.

The add-on alpha.

The free-with-purchase add-on element pack.

Glossy layer styles.

Glitter layer styles.

As always, you can buy individual portions of the collection or go with the value-added bundle. Check them out at Val's store HERE at ScrapMatters or Melissa's shop HERE at The Digichick!

I used the bundle to re-do an older Halloween layout:

I also have an idea for a non-Halloween layout that this kit is perfect for. I hope you'll stop back soon to see it!

Autumn Love

2011-10-04T09:55:00.003-04:00

New in the shop at Brownie Scraps and 25% off for today only is this lovely fall-themed kit from Scraps by Mara called Autumn Love:

I thought the colors in this kit were perfect for scrapping this collection of photos:

I'm headed out to enjoy the October weather. See you soon!

Mixin' it Up

2011-10-02T10:14:00.006-04:00

Hi again! It's time to get all caught up again on showing you my recent projects. I hope you'll stick with me until the end as it's taking forever to write this post. I have a cat sleeping on my left arm.

So, let's start at ScrapMatters. A recent trip to the Detroit Zoo gave me photos to scrap for some template challenges:

The kits are Bugged by Dream Big Designs and Boho Chic by geniaBeana Scraps

This one used An Elegant Mess and Dood!, both by geniaBeana Scraps.

This next page was done for a travel challenge that wanted you to scrap yourself on a trip. So many of us are so busy photographing and scrapping our family and friends, we never make it into our own layouts! This layout used In Spring by geniaBeana:

Here's a cute layout I made for a mini kit challenge at Brownie Scraps. Isn't the kit perfect for these photos?

These next two layouts did double duty, working in challenges at both ScrapMatters and Scrappity Doo Dah. For a template challenge at SDD and a recipe challenge at SM:

I used Shabby Fall by geniaBeana and Shades of Autumn by Designs by Sweet Mesquite.

And for a color challenge at SDD and a challenge at SM that asked you to feature water somewhere on your page, I used Captured Memories by Dylabel Designs:

I'm tickled pink to say that this layout received Gallery Stand Out mentions at both ScrapMatters AND Scrappity Doo Dah! :)

Speaking of Dylabel Designs, Belinda is taking a break from designing until spring and has her shop at Scrappity Doo Dah on sale for 40% off until October 14th! Check it out HERE!

Thanks for looking...I'll see you soon!

Witch's Brew

2011-10-02T09:07:00.005-04:00

Hi all! A new month is upon us, and you know what that means...the new Mix-A-Kit collection at ScrapMatters! Since Halloween is celebrated in October, the color palette the designers worked with lent itself to Halloween-themed goodies. Here's a look at some of what Val of geniaBeana Scraps came up with:

The papers, elements, and alpha can all be purchased separately. There's also shabby cardstock and dotted cardstock packs and two sets of layer styles...glossy and glittery. Check out Val's shop HERE to pick them all up!

Now, I didn't have any Halloween-type photos handy that I wanted to scrap, so I challenged myself to create a layout without any of the Halloween components. And Val's collection is versatile enough that I was able to pull it off! Take a look:

Pretty cool, dontcha think?

Everyday Elegance

2011-09-27T08:21:00.002-04:00

Scraps by Mara is continuing her recent trend of releasing absolutely gorgeous kits. New in the shop today HERE at Brownie Scraps and 25% off for today only is this lovely kit called Everyday Elegance:

I love to scrap with this style of kit, so I decided to scrap a photo of some ladies that I love:

I hope you'll stop by Brownie Scraps to check it out, and I hope you'll stop by to see me again soon!

Bye Summer

2011-09-20T09:18:00.003-04:00

After a summer of temperatures that killed our electric bill, it's nice to enjoy the cooler days of late summer. When I think of colors for this time of year, I think of warm, golden tones. So, imagine my delight to play with this stunning new kit from Scraps by Mara called Bye Summer:

The textures and patterns are just super! Take a look at a page I did with it for a challenge over at Brownie Scraps, then head off to the shop HERE and pick up the kit!

Shades of Autumn

2011-09-14T01:54:00.001-04:00

I'm ba-aa-ck! I am so excited to share some news with you! I have recently joined the Creative Team of Designs by Sweet Mesquite, based exclusively at Scrappity Doo Dah! I wasn't really looking to add to my CT teams, but I had been an admirer of Beth's kits and templates for some time now, so when she contacted me and asked me if I'd be interested, I said sure!

I already had some of her kits, but this one, called Shades of Autumn, that was released a while ago, just called to me:

You can pick the kit up HERE. Here's a layout I did with it for a scraplift challenge at SDD:

I used it to make my siggy at SDD too:

Don't you love it? I do! Look for more from Designs by Sweet Mesquite in the future!

Purple Passion

2011-09-13T00:22:00.001-04:00

New in the shop at Brownie Scraps today is this lovely little kit from Scraps by Mara called Purple Passion:

You can get it on sale HERE! Since the kit features my favorite color, I decided to indulge myself and scrap a page about...myself!

See you soon!

Here and There

2011-09-12T23:31:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone! Did you enjoy the blog hop? If you missed it, just scoot back one post and check it out...most of the links should still be live! It was so much fun making some freebies for you all to collect...I may have to keep on making more!

I spent some time getting caught up on more challenges at my various digiscrap homes. Let's take a look, shall we?

I did this layout for a mini kit challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah. The kit is by a designer new to SDD called Picture Designs, and it was by far the largest "mini" I can recall working with for a challenge!

That was the challenge for early September...here's a page I did for the late August mini kit challenge at SDD, with a much more basic kit:

I had fun scrapping this next layout for a challenge at ScrapMatters that asked you to scrap about...food! What fun! I used the kit Love Sweet Love by geniaBeana Scraps, and guess what? This page was selected for a Gallery Stand Out mention on the ScrapMatters blog!

And finally, we have this page that I just worked on yesterday for a scraplift challenge, also at ScrapMatters:

The kit is called Coastal Getaway, by the SM Design Team.

Well, that about wraps it up...I'll be back again in the next few days to show you some new stuff! See you then!

Anniversary Blog Hop!

2011-09-09T00:00:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Remember a few posts back when I told you all sorts of fun stuff was headed our way? Well, here it is!

Val of geniaBeana Scraps is celebrating her 3-year designer-versary and her 1-year anniversary of designing exclusively at ScrapMatters! She's so excited that she's got a ton of fun stuff going on...for starters, her entire store is 30% off until September 18, so head on over there and check it out!

While you're there, take a look at this new brag book template pack, releasing today:

The pages are sized at 5" x 7", perfect for brag book pages...OR...calendar toppers! That brings us to our blog hop! Val and her CT got together and created free brag book pages, one for each month of the year, that, when collected all together, can be used to make your own personalized calendar! Just hop from blog to blog to collect all twelve!

Here's a list of all the blogs you'll be hopping: You probably came here from Aussiegirl Scraps and will head to Kaelira's Digiscraps next.

1. GeniaBeana Scraps: http://geniabeanascraps.blogspot.com/
2. Neverland Scraps: http://www.neverlandscraps.blogspot.com/
3. Aussiegirl Scraps: http://aussiegirlscraps.blogspot.com
4. Dreamin' Big Scraps: http://azkdreaminbig.blogspot.com/ ====You are here!====
5. Kaelira's DigiScraps: http://kaelirasdigiscraps.blogspot.com/
6. Chel's Scrapping Creations: http://scrappingchelcreations.wordpress.com/
7. Digital Scrappin Rocks: http://digitalscrappinrocks.blogspot.com/
8. MHK Scrap Bytes: http://mhkscraps.blogspot.com

Now remember, not everyone is on the same timezone, so if someone's blog is not ready, check back later in the day. And definitely, make sure you check out Val's blog, number 1 on the list! If you scroll down a bit there, you'll find another anniversary surprise, a GORGEOUS anniversary mini kit she's giving away for FREE!

Now, let's take a look at the two free pages I've got for you! I used two different templates from the new brag book template pack, and two of Val's kits. The first page is for June, using He's the Man page kit:

And my second page for you is for the month of September, using the Late September Value Bundle:

You can download both pages together HERE. I hope you enjoy all the pages you collect, please leave a comment if you do, and I hope you'll come back again to see what I'm up to next!

School Rules

2011-09-02T09:10:00.004-04:00

Happy September, everyone! All the college kids have been heading back to campus this past week, and next week the K-12 crowd will be back to school, so how about an awesome school themed kit? I love this new release from geniaBeana Scraps called School Rules. The colors are a little more subtle than your typical back to school kit, and it even has a vintage feel!

You can pick up the kit HERE at ScrapMatters, and while you're there, check out the coordinating Worn Solids paper pack and Add-on Alpha!

Here's the fun I had with this kit:

Have a good holiday weekend, and I'll see you next week!

Relaxing

2011-08-27T15:01:00.005-04:00

Hi all! We attended a big family wedding last night. I had a ton of fun and got to bed pretty late, so today I'm just relaxing, and thought I'd catch up on a few layouts to show you.

Here's a layout I did for a mini-kit challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah:

The mini was by Lisete Scraps.

I jumped at the chance to use this multi-photo template offered up for a template challenge at ScrapMatters. It was perfect for these photos from earlier this summer!

The kit is Life's Little Surprises by the ScrapMatters Design Team.

This layout was done for a scraplift challenge, also at ScrapMatters. I love to use blocks of papers sometimes:

If the kit looks familiar, it's Sweet's Tea Party by geniaBeana Scraps, which I showed you a few posts back. And this layout won a Gallery Standout mention at SM!

Finally, I want to show you this layout. I used it for challenges at both ScrapMatters AND Scrappity Doo Dah...at SM you were asked to create a page about "sleep" and at SDD, you were asked to use a large photo:

I mixed two kits here, Dream a Little Dream by geniaBeana Scraps and Lit Up by Dylabel Designs. This layout won Layout of the Day at SDD!

All caught up now, but make sure you check back in the next few weeks...there will be lots of new kits coming down the pike, and a big celebration for Val of geniaBeana Scraps! See you then!

Love, love, love

2011-08-23T05:40:00.000-04:00

Scraps by Mara has a softly stunning new kit in the shop at Brownie Scraps today! It's called Love, love, love:

You can get it in the shop HERE. This kit includes a photo mask and some word art, which I was inspired to use in this layout:

Dontcha love it?!

New Releases!

2011-08-16T09:36:00.004-04:00

Hi all! I've got a couple of awesome new kits to show you, so let's get to it, shall we?

If you're into sports, either as a participant or a spectator, you're sure to love this new collection from Scraps by Mara called Play Hard! The collection includes a paper pack, an all-purpose element pack, and 10 mini-kits themed for 10 different sports!

You also get a coordinating alpha that goes with any of the minis:

Get the collection as a whole, or you can pick up the individual packs separately to create your own personal collection. But wait, there's more! Mara has also created this coordinating Word Art pack that you can pick up on her blog HERE:

I used the collection to rework a layout I did of Tina's high school tennis days:

Now, if you need a little sweetness in your life, check out this offering from geniaBeana Scraps called Sweet's Tea Party:

I used the kit to do this layout:

And if that's not enough goodness for you, Val has a free add-on mini available in the shop:

AND a coordinating alpha freebie available on her blog HERE:

So what are you waiting for?

Catching Up

2011-08-11T10:47:00.008-04:00

Hi all! With all the rainy, yet hot and muggy weather around here lately, I had a choice...work on some projects around the house, or scrap? Well, grab a refreshing drink and a snack, 'cuz you can guess which way I went:

These first two layouts were done for ABC Challenges at Scrappity Doo Dah. As you may remember, we're working our way through the alphabet:

Jennifer's layout is a redo of a page I had done a couple of years ago. This time I used Captured Memories by Dylabel Designs, and guess what? This layout won Layout of the Day at Scrappity Doo Dah and got a Gallery Standout mention at ScrapMatters!

Tina is featured in my layout for the letter K. Kristina IS her given name, even though it's not what she goes by. The kit is Summer's Muse by Mandy King:

Another fun challenge at SDD was the Font Challenge, which in July asked you to create a word cloud using Wordle. I've been to that site before but had kind of forgotten about it. You should check it out! I used it to mix up all the girls' names for this layout using the Minimal Template and Kit by Dylabel Designs:

Here we have a layout I did for a scraplift challenge at SDD. The kit is You Make Me Happy by Designs by Sweet Mesquite:

These next few layouts were all done for challenges at ScrapMatters. The first is this page I did for a Template Challenge. Split-paper layouts are pretty popular right now, but I tend not to layer my papers that way unless I AM going off a template...it just doesn't come naturally to me (but that's why they're called challenges, right?):

The kit is BFF by Wm[2].

Here's another split-paper template, but this one has you split your photo too! This layout, using Verdant Splendor by geniaBeana Scraps, received a Gallery Standout nod at SDD and a mention on the Gallery Standouts blog!

ScrapMatters just celebrated their 4th birthday, and this template challenge was part of the fun:

I used Summer Cookout by geniaBeana Scraps. This layout also allowed me to participate in a challenge that asked you to use a themed kit for a page that didn't follow that theme. See those yellow flowery elements on the page? Those are actually mustard doodles from Val's cookout-themed kit that I made into flowers! This page got a Layout of the Day nod at Brownie Scraps.

Last but not least, we have this layout that I did for a Font Challenge at SM. The font (which I used for the journaling) is called sf Natalie, and the Kit and Template are both by geniaBeana Scraps.

Well, that's pretty much it for now. I'll have some new stuff to show you soon, but for now, since it's 70 degrees and sunny out today, I'm headed out into my garden for some cleanup duty. See you soon!

Found in a Box

2011-08-09T01:59:00.000-04:00

Ohana Designs has this softly hued kit new in the shop today at Brownie Scraps. It's called Found in a Box and you can get it HERE:

The vintage-y feel and the little hint of musical notes inspired me to do this layout:

I just love the alpha that comes with this kit!

Odds n Ends v2

2011-08-02T15:12:00.003-04:00

You may remember me showing you Ohana Designs' kit Odds n' Ends a while back. Now that Michelle is designing at Brownie Scraps, she decided to re-release the kit in the shop HERE:

I decided to give the kit another whirl too, using it for a template challenge at Brownie Scraps:

It's a nice, versatile kit, don't you think?

Play Ball!

2011-08-02T14:06:00.005-04:00

That's the theme behind geniaBeana Scraps' contribution to the August 2011 Mix-A-Kit collection at ScrapMatters:

All the images are linked to the store, so hop on over and take a look! I didn't have any baseball photos to scrap, but the collection was versatile enough for a regular layout:

I haven't taken much scrapping time lately, but I'll be back soon, so see you then!

Passion

2011-07-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

Catchy title, huh? It's the name of this cool mini kit releasing today at Brownie Scraps. Passion is by Ohana Designs and you can get it HERE:

You can get it on sale for 25% off today only, then it goes back to regular price. Here's a layout I did:

See you soon!

Chillin'

2011-07-22T09:50:00.008-04:00

Hi all! Hot enough for ya?! I am told we hit the 100 degree mark yesterday, but it's cooling down to the 80's today. Whoo hoo! Well, my perfect way to stay out of the heat is to cozy up with my computer and to do some scrapping.

Here's a few random layouts I've done the last couple of weeks:

For a template challenge at ScrapMatters is this layout done using geniaBeana's kit Carefree:

I'm proud to say that this layout got a Gallery Stand Out mention at ScrapMatters AND Scrappity Doo Dah! AND Layout of the Day at Brownie Scraps!

This next layout was done for a mini kit challenge at Brownie Scraps, but I also used a template by geniaBeana:

Here's a page I did for a template challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah, using a kit called You Make Me Happy by Sweet Mesquite Designs:

And lastly, this layout was done for an ad challenge at SDD...you were given this print ad as inspiration:

And the layout I came up with, using Fresh by Dylabel Designs:

Well, I think I'm all caught up now! Stay cool!

Minimal

2011-07-22T08:55:00.004-04:00

Dylabel Designs has released a new kit and her first ever template pack, both called Minimal. The templates lend themselves towards a white space scrapping style, and the kit has some of my favorite colors. Take a look:

Both are available at Scrappity Doo Dah, and they're on sale for the first week! Get the kit HERE and the template pack HERE. Here's a page I did using both:

I'll be back soon to show you what else I've been up to!

Rustic

2011-07-19T09:31:00.000-04:00

Here's a new kit for you from Ohana Designs called Rustic. You can pick it up HERE in the shop at Brownie Scraps:

I thought the rich colors were perfect for this sunset photo I've been hanging on to for a while:

I can't resist photographing any glorious sunrise or sunset I'm lucky enough to witness! They're some of my favorite outdoor scenes to scrap!

On the Move

2011-07-12T05:33:00.001-04:00

New in the shop at Brownie Scraps is this fun collab kit by Scraps by Mara and Blue Heart Scraps called On the Move. It was inspired by CT member Lynette who wanted to document an interstate move:

You can get this kit HERE. I used the kit to do some scrapping about some of the houses I've lived in:

This other page using On the Move was also scrapped using a template collection from Scraps by Mara, also new in the shop HERE today:

I'm not much of a journaler so using one of these templates really helped me out on this page:

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer...see you soon!

This n That

2011-07-05T20:01:00.004-04:00

I've had a few layouts pile up that I thought I'd show you all. As usual, most of these were done for various challenges at various digiscrap forums.

First up we have a card I made for a card challenge at ScrapMatters:

This page was done for a template challenge at Brownie Scraps and used the kit Freedom by Scraps by Mara:

This next layout, also for a challenge at Brownie Scraps, asked you to use all the pieces of a mini kit provided free by Scraps by Mara:

Over at Scrappity Doo Dah, a challenge in June asked you to take a photo and edit it to resemble a line drawing. I thought this photo worked well since it wasn't very good quality. I used the kit Spring Scrappiness by Dylabel Designs:

This next challenge at SDD provided a piece of WordArt that you needed to include. The kit is Ella Fun by Dylabel Designs:

And finally, this last layout was done for a challenge at ScrapMatters that required, among other things, that you use pieces from at least 3 different kits or products. Now, usually I create my pages using only one kit, so this really was a challenge for me! I'm proud to say I used
Layer Upon Layer v1 Template Grab Bag for the template and pieces from Sun Shiny Day, Spring Things, and Flamingo Beach, all by geniaBeana Scraps, for the papers, elements, and alphas:

Well, I think I'm all caught up now...see you next week!

Paisley Explosion

2011-07-05T11:35:00.004-04:00

Hi all! I hope everyone in the USA and Canada had a wonderful holiday weekend. We kept things low-key around here and just enjoyed the fabulous weather. Now that it's Tuesday, it's time to show you what Scraps by Mara has new in the shop at Brownie Scraps. It's a bright, colorful kit aptly named Paisley Explosion:

The kit is on sale HERE. Take a look at the fun I had with this kit:

See you all again soon!

Hot Fun in the SummerTime

2011-07-01T09:27:00.000-04:00

Happy July 1st! What's your pleasure today? Interested in some Fourth of July fun? Then check out this kit from Dylabel Designs called Sparkling 4th:

You can get this kit HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah. Here's a layout I had fun doing:

Or, if you're in the mood for some time at the beach, check out the ScrapMatters July Mix-a-Kit collection from geniaBeana Scraps called Flamingo Beach:

The papers, elements, alpha, and a coordinating dotted cardstock are all available as separate pieces to mix and match with other July offerings, and they're on sale until next Tuesday!
I am STILL scrapping some photos from our Cancun trip 3 years ago:

Here's hoping everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Fresh Baked at Brownie Scraps!

2011-06-28T11:01:00.003-04:00

Happy Tuesday! How are things in your neck of the woods? Today we have blue skies and temps in the 70's, a perfect summer day! So it is so fitting that I have these two new kits to show you, each with a different take on summer living!

First, with a nod to the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, is Freedom from Scraps by Mara:

I decided to use it to scrap this photo I took last spring on another lovely day:

Ohana Designs has released this pretty kit called Green Thumb:

I scrapped two pages with this kit, one layout with a sort of a gardening theme, and one just pretty:

July is just around the corner...see you then!

Water Wings

2011-06-21T06:05:00.003-04:00

Summery fun continues with this new release from Scraps by Mara called Water Wings! Yep, you guessed it, the kit is perfect for those poolside photos, or any layout that calls for warm, fun-in-the-sun themes:

You can get it HERE at Brownie Scraps!

Down by the Sea

2011-06-19T09:49:00.002-04:00

Ah, summertime, and the livin' is easy. What better way to scrap those beachy photos than with this new kit from Dylabel Designs called Down by The Sea:

The classic blues and reds are perfect for any sort of page, and don't you love those little sea creatures? You can grab this kit HERE at Scappity Doo Dah. Here's a fun summer layout I did with this kit:

By the way, that fun alpha comes with the kit, but if you want, it can also be purchased separately!

Layer Upon Layer!

2011-06-19T09:04:00.011-04:00

Who doesn't love templates? And who wouldn't love to pick up this amazing template grab bag put together by Val of geniaBeana Scraps and Melissa of Cluster Queen Creations (who doesn't go by that name for nothing!)?! The grab bag contains four packs of four templates each for a total of 16 templates, with various levels of layering, clustering, number of photos, and journaling spots. You can pick it up HERE at ScrapMatters!

I made it a point to do some layouts using one template from each of the four packs. Here's what I came up with!

Kit: Oh Boy!, a collab kit from geniaBeana Scraps and Nikki Epperson Designs (this layout won a Gallery Stand Out at ScrapMatters :)):

Kit: Wild About You by geniaBeana Scraps:

Kit: Boho Chic by geniaBeana Scraps:

Kit: Spring Sunset by geniaBeana Scraps (and this page won Layout of the WEEK at Brownie Scraps!):

Fun, huh? You can check out the full images of the template packs when you stop at the ScrapMatters shop. Happy scrapping!

Fresh Baked at Brownie Scraps!

2011-06-14T06:20:00.002-04:00

We all know that Tuesday is Fresh Baked Day at Brownie Scraps, so let's see what's new!

Owl-themed kits are a perennial favorite in the digi scrap world, and here is an adorable contribution from Scraps by Mara called Owl Always Love You:

I went wild and crazy with this kit, which you can pick up HERE:

In our part of the country, June is strawberry season, so this cute little kit from Ohana Designs called Berry Much was very timely:

It didn't matter that I didn't have any strawberry themed photos to scrap:

You can get Berry Much HERE, and don't forget, both kits are 25% off today only!

Odds n Ends

2011-06-04T11:08:00.003-04:00

Time once again to get caught up showing you some random layouts I've been creating. First up is this heritage page I did for a template challenge at Brownie Scraps with Scraps by Mara's kit Simply Me:

I did this layout for a template challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah using Dylabel Designs' newest kit Captured Memories:

These next few layouts were made for challenges at ScrapMatters, all using kits by geniaBeana Scraps:

Template challenge using Dood!:

Another template challenge using Summer Cook-Out:

And finally a recipe challenge using Pop!:

Fun, huh? I'll be back soon with more goodies!

Dood!

2011-06-02T08:37:00.003-04:00

The beginning of June also brings us the new Mix-A-Kit collection at ScrapMatters, and Val of geniaBeana Scraps really went all-out with her contribution, called Dood!:

The collection is broken up into pieces that you can pick up for 20% off right now at ScrapMatters. Get the papers HERE, the elements HERE, a dotted cardstock paper pack HERE, and a coordinating duct-taped alpha HERE!

Here's a layout I did using all of the above, plus one of Val's templates:

So hop on over to ScrapMatters, pick up Dood!, and then see what else the designers have come up with to mix and match!

Cheeky!

2011-06-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Well, happy June! Summer is rolling right in with some hot dry weather (FINALLY) and I've been busy trying to get my garden into shape (again, FINALLY). In the meantime, I had a good time playing with this fun little kit from Scraps by Mara called Cheeky. And you know what's best about this kit? It's FREE! All you have to do is visit Mara's blog HERE throughout the month of June, and it's yours!

Here's a look at the kit and a page I did with it:

So go on , get over to Mara's blog, and I'll catch up with you soon!

New in the Brownie Scraps Shop

2011-05-31T07:46:00.001-04:00

Happy Tuesday! Here's hoping everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend! My weekend is lasting one more day since I don't have to go back to work until tomorrow. :) So, I'm taking a little time here to show you what my favorite Brownie Bakers have been up to.

Mara of Scraps by Mara has created this elegant black and white kit with just a touch of glitter. It's called Simply Me, and it's in the Brownie Scraps Shop HERE:

If you have had any sort of rain this spring, you might find this new kit from Ohana Designs appealing. It's called Ducky Feet:

Isn't it cute? You can get the kit HERE.

Don't forget, both these kits will be on sale for 25% today only, so hurry on over!

A New Look!

2011-05-29T08:03:00.002-04:00

Notice the new look to my blog? I've been feeling lately that my old blog design, which I've had for 2 years, was too busy. So I spent some time during a rainy afternoon yesterday changing things up with a different look. I wanted something a little cleaner than before but HAD to stick with some purple, and as I worked, I found myself adding all sorts of little flowers and such. I just couldn't help myself, lol! So, I hope you enjoy it!

Captured Memories

2011-05-27T08:52:00.002-04:00

Dylabel Designs has a gorgeous new kit in the Scrappity Doo Dah shop today called Captured Memories. It has soft yet classic colors and a fun touch of metal:

You can pick up the kit HERE, and for now it's 30% off! Here's a page I made:

And, check out the Dylabel Designs blog HERE for a coordinating freebie alpha!

There's a new Baker in the Brownie Scraps Shop!

2011-05-24T10:15:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I'm so pleased to announce that my buddy Michelle, who designs marvelous kits under the name Ohana Designs, has opened up shop at Brownie Scraps! I've worked with Michelle's kits before, and I've had so much fun the last few days playing with some of her products to show you what's new. So without further ado, here's a look at some of the yummy-ness that's available in the shop:

A luscious, romantic kit called Rose and Thorn, available HERE:

A kit with a Thanksgiving theme but really pretty versatile, called Thankful for your Love. You can find it HERE:

And the third kit I worked with is this cool number called Timeless Comfort, which you can pick up HERE:

Aren't they great? So, hop on over to the Brownie Scraps shop, check out these kits, and see what else Ohana Designs has!

Catching Up

2011-05-17T11:35:00.007-04:00

Time once again to catch family and friends up on the layouts I've been working on lately. All of these were done for challenges at various forums, which are a great way to jump start your creative mojo.

Over at Scrappity Doo Dah, this layout was done for a challenge where you were given a mini kit and had to use everything in it:

This next page, of some photos from our Cancun trip a couple of years ago, was for a scraplift challenge. I love the kit, called Poetry of the Sea by Marie H Designs:

Here's a page for a template challenge:

The kit is Owl Fall For You by Dylabel Designs.

This next one is for the ABC challenge, with the letter "D" being the prompt, and using the kit EllaFun, also by Dylabel Designs:

For the letter "E" we have:
The kit is Dots in Spring by Marie H Designs.

Moving over to ScrapMatters, here is a layout I did for a scraplift challenge, which they call Grand Theft Layout, hehe:

This layout is that one I told you about a few posts ago, in the one about Sleep, Little One from Scraps by Mara.

Our last stop is over at Brownie Scraps, where I played in a couple of challenges. Here is my take on the recipe challenge, whose main ingredient was the use of a non-typical shape for your photos and frames:

I used Got Dirt? by Scraps by Mara for this layout, and Only in My Dreams for this last page, done for another recipe challenge that asked you do to some photo blending:

Well, that's all for now. The weather outside is cold and rainy (meaning I can't go outside and play in my garden), so I guess I'll clean my house. The sooner I finish that, the sooner I'll be back with more stuff to show you! I hope you enjoyed your stay here, and please come back soon!

Oh Maestro!

2011-05-17T11:27:00.002-04:00

I'm always happy to see music-themed kits come down the pike, and this new kit from Scraps by Mara doesn't disappoint! It's called Oh Maestro!, and was inspired by Mara's son, who is in orchestra in school. It's full of some really rich, elegant colors:

You can pick it up HERE at Brownie Scraps. This kit's colors were perfect for these photos:

I'll be right back with some odds and ends to show you, so stay tuned!

Fresh

2011-05-14T11:16:00.004-04:00

Dylabel Designs has just released a softly hued springtime kit called Fresh:

I had a lot of fun playing with this kit! The somewhat undersaturated colors were really inspiring:

This one was done for a template challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah:

You can pick up this awesome kit HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah, and for right now, it's on sale for 25% off! It comes complete with a fun alpha, but you can pick the alpha up separately if you'd like.

Sleep, Little One

2011-05-10T10:00:00.005-04:00

Hi all! It's Tuesday, so that means I've got a new kit to show you from Scraps by Mara. It is just the softest, sweetest baby-themed kit called Sleep, Little One:

This kit is on sale HERE at Brownie Scraps!

We've all got those sleepytime photos... here's a page I did:

I've got a non-baby page I'm going to do too, since the colors in this kit should be perfect for it. I'll be back soon to show it to you!

An Elegant Mess

2011-05-10T10:00:00.004-04:00

The ScrapMatters designers released May's Mix-a-Kit collection last week, and I wanted to show you geniaBeana Scraps' contribution. While some of the designers went bright and bold with the palette, I was excited for Val's take on it, since I thought it worked so well with those older photos I have:

Get the paper pack HERE:

And the element pack HERE:

Here's a layout I did, also using one of the templates from Val's iNSD grab bag:

Enjoy, and I'll be talking to you again, soon!

Catching up on iNSD

2011-05-10T09:29:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? It was a busy one, wasn't it, what with Mother's Day and International Scrapbooking Day?! We also attended Jen's college graduation on Saturday! I didn't spend as much time playing in digiscrap land as I would have wanted, so I missed out on a lot of the sales and games and all. I did take some time before the weekend, though, to work with some of geniaBeana Scraps' neat iNSD Grab Bags. They're still available in the shop at ScrapMatters, if you didn't grab them up over the weekend.

Val teamed up with CT member Melissa, who is a fabulous designer as well (designing as Cluster Queen Creations), to create this awesome template grab bag:

I used one of Melissa's templates to make this layout:

Grab this template collection HERE!

Val also put together another grab bag that contains some wonderful kraft papers, a fun alpha, bright fun elements that just pop off the page, some grungy journaling splats, and four simple templates:

I used a little of everything to come up with this layout:

You can get this grab bag HERE, and rest assured you can check out the entire contents of the bags in the shop.

I've Been Published!

2011-05-04T08:21:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Well, I'm very excited to share the news that one of my layouts has been published in this month's issue of GingerScrapsStreet magazine, a digital magazine devoted to scrapbooking, both digital and traditional. Here's a link to the magazine, and while I won't send you right to my layout (because I want you to check out the whole magazine, it's so full of awesome inspiration), I WILL tell you my layout is in the "Critter Pages" article (of course!). Check out the magazine HERE!

The magazine is free, so make sure you subscribe to it when you're done reading!

Mommie Mine

2011-05-03T08:35:00.004-04:00

Last week I showed you a Mother's Day kit from Scraps by Mara with a mature, soft feel to it called My Mother. Today, Mara has gone in a different direction, still thinking of Mother's Day, but with the bright, fun colors that kids love. It's called Mommie Mine, and you can get it HERE at Brownie Scraps:

I thought the colors were perfect for these two layouts:

This coming weekend brings us not only Mother's Day, but International Scrapbooking Day! I know I'm looking forward to all the scrapping goodness that will be out there, so stay tuned!

Odds n Ends

2011-04-26T10:41:00.007-04:00

A few weeks ago I spent a fair amount of time scrapping pages for various challenges at the forums I visit so I thought I'd show you what I was up to. This first layout was done for a challenge at ScrapMatters that asked you to use spring colors, so I used geniaBeana Scraps' April Mix-a Kit collection, Spring Things:

(Dotted Cardstock, Spring Things element pack, Spring Things alpha)

This next layout was done for a scraplift challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah, and I'm proud to say it was chosen as Layout of the Day there on April 13th:

The kit is Momentos by LiseteScrap.

This layout was done at SDD for a mini kit challenge. The mini was also by LiseteScrap:

The next three layouts were all done for challenges at ScrapMatters:

(kit: Shabby Fall by geniaBeana Scraps)

(kit: Boho Chic by geniaBeana Scraps)

(kit: Modish by geniaBeana Scraps)

As you can see, I'm having tons o' fun playing with these old photos. The ones that are in good shape are easy to work with, and I find it challenging to pretty up the ones that are a little debilitated. Not being a pro by any means, I'm happy with how most of them come out. I hope you enjoy seeing them too!

My Mother

2011-04-26T10:32:00.006-04:00

Hi all! I hope everyone had a nice Easter holiday. I know I did! Spring is struggling to come to Michigan but it's having a hard time. So let's look forward to another spring tradition, Mother's Day. Scraps by Mara has just released this softly hued kit called My Mother, available HERE at Brownie Scraps:

This kit lent itself very well to a couple of those older photos I'm obsessed with right now. This first page won Layout of the Day over at Brownie Scraps AND received a Gallery Stand Out prop at Scrappity Doo Dah:

I'll be back soon to show you what else I've been up to!

Got Dirt?

2011-04-23T09:05:00.003-04:00

Greetings everyone! It's been a busy week, but I thought I'd take a minute to show you a fun kit that Scraps by Mara released this past week. It's a boy-themed kit perfect for those little guys (or girls!) who like to get down and dirty. It's called Got Dirt? and you can get it HERE at Brownie Scraps:

Here's a layout I did of a certain active little guy:

Easter Sunday is tomorrow, and I'd like to wish everyone a safe and blessed holiday!

On the Hunt

2011-04-16T14:43:00.003-04:00

Easter is only a week away and I got to play with a new kit for the season from Dylabel Designs called On the Hunt. It's definitely a springy kit, but with a softer palette. I used it for a couple of pages to scrap some photos from a while back.

Here's a peek at the kit, which you can get HERE at Scrappity-Doo-Dah:

I just love the alpha that comes with the kit, which you can get separately if you'd like!
Here are my two pages:

As you can see, I'm still working with older photos, some of which aren't being rehabilitated as well as I'd like, but this is what my skills allow, so there you have it! I'll be back soon with some other layouts!

Verdant Splendor

2011-04-09T11:08:00.005-04:00

Michigan is still struggling to show us some spring green, so while we wait, I had all sorts of fun playing with this sumptous new kit from geniaBeana Scraps called Verdant Splendor. It's bright, fun, and elegant all at once, and right now it's on sale at ScrapMatters, where you can get the Kit, Dotted Cardstock, and an Add-on Alpha:

Here are a couple of layouts I did for some challenges over at ScrapMatters:

Hippity Hoppity

2011-04-05T09:51:00.003-04:00

...Easter's on its way! And to help you scrap those Easter memories is this sweet new kit from Scraps by Mara called, what else, Hippity Hoppity! You can get it HERE at Brownie Scraps, and through April 7th it's 25% off:

Here's a layout I did using one of those old photos I told you about earlier:

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you soon!

This n That

2011-04-03T11:01:00.003-04:00

This is a long post, so grab a snack and get comfy! I've been sort of lax with posting my projects lately, so I thought I'd spend this rainy Sunday getting all caught up.

First are some new goodies from geniaBeana Scraps. ScrapMatters has started a new monthly event where all the shop designers create mini kits from the same palette that allow scrappers to mix and match. Here's the palette, and then a layout I did using Val's dotty cardstock pack, element pack, and alpha:

ScrapMatters also recently wrapped up their Design Star challenge, where aspiring designers competed for an apprenticeship with the SM Design Team. The site hosted challenges for scrappers to participate in for fun. Week 2 of the competition gave us a template to use to create a layout using just papers that the contestants created for that week. Here's my page, using papers from 4 different designers, and a few ellies from geniaBeana's kit Autumnal:

By the final week of the contest, the designers were creating full kits, and we got to pick one kit and do a layout. Here's a page I did using a kit called Bugged by Dream Big Designs (catchy name, huh? Almost the same as my blog name :)):

I'm tickled to say that this layout was chosen as a gallery standout over at SM!

Then there's all the regular monthly challenges that the various forums host. They're so wonderful for gaining inspiration and getting a jump start on creating layouts. This first layout is from a SM challenge that taught you how to merge photos together to create a panoramic view. I blended 3 photos from our family trip to Hawaii in 2003:

(kit: Life's Little Surprises by the SM Design Team)

This next page is for a challenge that asked you to create a very simple page, which I tend to do anyways:

(kit: Basically Elegant by genia Beana Scraps)

Here's a layout done for a challenge that asked you to cut shapes out of an upper paper so that a paper underneath can peek through:

That's one cute little girl, don'tcha think? The kit is Sweet Memories by geniaBeana Scraps.

Finally, here is a layout for a template challenge:

The kit is Spring Sunset by geniaBeana Scraps, just recently released st ScrapMatters.

Moving on over to Scrappity Doo Dah, here is a layout I did for a scraplift challenge:

I posted this layout at ScrapMatters too, where it was chosen to be featured on their gallery standout blog too! I used the kit Spring Forward by Dylabel Designs.

This next layout was done for an ad challenge, where the host finds an advertisement, usually from a magazine, and has us use it for inspiration:

The kit is Spring Scrappiness by Dylabel Designs.

The color challenge gives you a palette that you need to incorporate into your layout. The kit Aglow by Dylabel Designs was perfect for this photo:

SDD is also doing an ABC challenge. February's letter was A, and March's was B, so I went with B is for Beautiful:

Kit: Dragonfly Wishes, a collab kit from geniaBeana Scraps and Dylabel Designs.

Finally, many forums offer a challenge where the designer host creates a mini kit and asks you to make a layout using all the parts of the kit. That was how I came to make this page using a minikit called I Paint the Spring by Alla Design:

Well, that's it for now. I'll have some new goodies to show you next week, so I'll see you then!

Remembering

2011-03-22T08:54:00.005-04:00

Forget what I said about spring coming to Michigan...we have a winter storm warning for tonight. So I'll just have to find my spring inside, right? I recently acquired temporary custody of my Mom's five photo albums full of family photos dating back to 1918 or so, so I'm trying to scan and scrap like crazy until I pass them along to one of my sisters. To that end, here are a couple of layouts to show you, using, of course, some wonderful new kits!

Scraps by Mara has just released this elegant kit called Only in My Dreams. It's going to be perfect for some heritage-type photos, and it uses my favorite color! For today only it's on sale for 25% off HERE at Brownie Scraps:

Here's a page I did using some photos from 1952:

New from Dylabel Designs is this pretty kit called Spring Forward, with some soft spring hues:

It's available HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah! This kit was perfect for these photos from 1963:

Fun, aren't they? Stay tuned for more trips down memory lane!

Brackety Templates

2011-03-19T10:11:00.002-04:00

Every now and then, when you want to scrap a layout and the creative juices just aren't flowing, it helps to start with a template. In addition to amazing kits, Val of geniaBeana Scraps occasionally produces some awesome template packs. I'm really fond of this latest set called Brackety Templates v1, available HERE on sale at ScrapMatters:

Here are a couple of layouts I did using some of Val's kits...here, Basically Elegant:

and here, Boho Chic:

Spring might just possibly be coming to Michigan...so stay tuned for some happy pages!

Return to Spring

2011-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

I love love love this latest kit from Scraps by Mara called Return to Spring! It's a spring kit, yes, but with the most gorgeous, soft, rich colors and pretty flowers! I was so enchanted with it, I did two layouts right away! Here's a look at the kit, which you can get on sale for 25% off for today only at Brownie Scraps...after today it's regular price:

Here are my layouts, both featuring little grand-nieces and -nephews:

Apparently I like the yellow background paper, lol! I didn't realize that I used it in both pages until I finished the second one. And speaking of papers, the brown embossed paper you can see a peek of in the upper layout reminds me of a chocolate bar! Yum!

Light and Bright

2011-03-13T10:45:00.003-04:00

There's still no sign of spring here in Michigan, so thank goodness for Belinda of Dylabel Designs and Val of geniaBeana Scraps, who have both released some wonderful kits that help me remember spring is sure to come soon!

Here's a lovely kit that they collaborated on called Dragonfly Wishes, with plenty of sweet flowers and dragonflies and my favorite color, purple:

The kit is on sale right now HERE at ScrapMatters or HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah! I was inspired to do this light and bright LO for a challenge at ScrapMatters:

Not forgetting that the month of March also gives us St. Patrick's Day, Dylabel Designs has come out with this kit called Lucky, available HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah:

I did this fun page for a challenge at SDD:

I'm liking these layouts with the light backgrounds. It's so refreshing after the dark days of winter!

It's a Guy Thing

2011-03-09T10:23:00.004-05:00

Scraps by Mara and Down This Road Designs have teamed up to bring you this fun, colorful boy-themed kit called It's a Guy Thing:

You can pick it up HERE at Brownie Scraps! Take a look at a layout I did of a cute little guy:

I love how the argyle paper complements his sweater!

Yay for March!

2011-03-04T10:36:00.003-05:00

...because that means winter will soon be behind us and spring is on its way! March is also the month for St. Patrick's Day, of course, so to that end, here is a wonderful new kit from Dylabel Designs called Feelin' Irish! Right now you can pick up the kit HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah for 40% off!

This kit comes with a gorgeous gold alpha:

And not specifically for March but definitely for spring is this pretty kit called Spring Scrappiness, available HERE, also on sale:

I used this kit for a wordart challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah:

See you soon!

New Arrivals!

2011-02-26T12:35:00.006-05:00

Today I want to show everyone some new arrivals in my extended family! Of course, I'm not just going to show you photos, I'm going to show you some of my first layouts of these two new cuties!

First up is my grand-niece, Isla Ley, born Feb. 15:

For Isla's LO I used some the the freebie mini kits that were created as part of ScrapMatters' Design Star challenge. The links for these minis will only be up until March 1st, so if you want to grab any, head over to the Design Star gallery HERE before the links are gone! (Click on each thumbnail in the gallery to get the download link)

And then we have my grand-nephew Tristan Lee, born Feb. 23!:

I actually did this LO for a challenge at ScrapMatters using geniaBeana Scraps' kit Oh Boy! that I showed you the other day. I know you can't really see much of little T in this LO, but plan to see a lot more of these little cousins in future pages! ;)

Fresh from the Brownie Bakery!

2011-02-22T12:24:00.004-05:00

It's Fresh Baked Brownie day in the shop at Brownie Scraps, where all new releases are 25% off for today only! I had fun working with two new products...the first is a neat kit from Scraps by Mara called Reading is My World. Mara created the kit at the request of Debbie, one of our team members, who suggested the theme AND picked the color palette! You can get the kit HERE:

Here's a page I did of a rather avid reader at out house:

Next up is a new template from Brownie Scraps' resident hybrid queen, WendyBird Designs. This Fold Up Bag is the latest in Wendy's It's in the Bag series:

I made this cute little bag using the template and a collab kit from Jacabean Designs and Marni Designs called Love Actually:

You can pick up the bag template HERE, and here's a peek at Love Actually with a link to the kit in the shop HERE:

Oh Boy! An Amazing Sale!

2011-02-20T10:27:00.004-05:00

Yes, you read that right! Gabs of Snuggle Berry Pie Designs is retiring, and her shop at Brownie Scraps is on sale for 50% to 70% off until Feb. 28th. She has tons of CU supplies as well as personal use items, so head on over to her shop now! Here's one of her kits, called Frolic in the Flowers, and a page I created with it just the other day:

Val of geniaBeana Scraps has gotten together with Nikki Epperson Designs to create this fun boy-themed kit called, what else, Oh Boy!

The kit is on sale HERE at ScrapMatters, and you can get a freebie add-on alpha at Val's blog HERE! Here's a layout I did for a scraplift challenge at SM:

I'll see you soon with more fun stuff!

Spring is in the Air

2011-02-18T10:45:00.004-05:00

We have been blessed this past week with some mild weather that is helping to melt away the tons of snow that had accumulated the past few weeks. That makes it all the more fun to work with these two new kits, both of which have a soft feel to them!

First up is this *love*-ly kit from Marni Designs called Amor:

Take a look at a layout I did with it, then hop on over to the Brownie Scraps shop HERE and pick it up!

Just released today is this kit from Dylabel Designs called Aglow:

You can get this fun kit HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah!

I'll be back soon with more new goodies and an amazing sale announcement!

Bee Mine

2011-02-12T11:15:00.003-05:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, there's no shortage of kits that are all about love, love, love. What's neat, though, is when a kit uses non-traditional colors or is versatile enough for non-lovey layouts, such as this adorable new kit from Dylabel Designs called Bee Mine:

Since the kit uses our high school colors, I scrapped a page using a photo from a few years back:

You can pick up this fun kit HERE at Scrappity Doo Dah!

I've had some time lately to participate in some challenges at the various forums, so I thought I'd show you what I've been up to. First is my page for a template challenge at Scrappity Doo Dah. I grabbed a wonderful photo from my niece Ashley's FB album and made this layout using Steady Love by Dylabel Designs:

For a lyrics challenge, also at Scrappity Doo Dah, is this layout made using Dylabel Designs' EllaFun:

And last, I just posted this layout at ScrapMatters for one of their Roadmap to Scrap challenges which just so happened to be hosted by Val of geniaBeana Scraps, who also designed the kit I used, Basically Elegant:

Have a Happy Valentine's Day, everyone, and I'll see you soon!

Remember Me and a Frosty Freebie!

2011-02-08T17:24:00.004-05:00

Scraps by Mara has a new release at Brownie Scraps today! It's a softly hued kit called Remember Me, perfect for any sort of remembrance page:

You can pick the kit up HERE. Take a look at a layout I did for a challenge over at Brownie Scraps:

Although we didn't suffer the snowpocalypse that the weather folks were forecasting for us last week, we did get a fair amount of snow, and now the temps are in the teens. To that end, I've decided to release the mini kit that I created last fall as the project I worked on in my Brownie Institute class at Brownie Scraps. The kit was supposed to be part of a blog train, but I think I missed my stop! Anyways, I'm guessing someone might find the kit useful for scrapping a wintery, chilly page. I know I did:

Here's a look at the kit, and if you like it, the download link is below:

Download HERE, and please leave some love if you do!

New Stuff!

2011-02-01T11:21:00.003-05:00

How is everyone on this fine February 1st? Here in Michigan we are waiting for a blizzard to hit tonight. It's good thing I have some wonderful new kits to show you to take my mind off winter!

Remember the announcement about Dylabel Designs? Well, Belinda's store at Scrappity Doo Dah is officially open, and I have two brand new kits to show you. The first is a sweet little kit called Steady Love that has a turtle theme, but is really appropriate for general or Valentine layouts:

Just for fun, I scrapped these photos of the little turtle we had a few years back. I also used a new template by geniaBeana Scraps:

Next from Dylabel Designs is another themed kit called EllaFun:

Not having any elephants to scrap, I did a page of a funny little guy:

And now we move over to Brownie Scraps, where Scraps by Mara has released a bright kit with an eye towards Valentine's Day called My Heart:

Here's a page of a little girl that I *heart*:

All these new kits are on sale at their respective shops for a short time only, so make sure you hop on over and pick them up soon!

Grand Opening Coming Soon!

2011-01-30T10:32:00.003-05:00

Since Elemental Scraps closed last year, Belinda of Dylabel Designs has been busy creating! Her mojo has been strong, and her kits, new and old, will be available at her new store, opening up on February 1st at Scrappity-Doo-Dah!

Make sure you join us for the 40% off sale!

Third in a Series

2011-01-28T20:43:00.002-05:00

Okay, remember last post when I showed you that layout of Ally and said I'd have to make one of Tina so that I'd have one of all 3 girls? Well, as soon as I posted that, I thought, well, what am I waiting for? So I grabbed genia Beana Scraps' newest kit Wild About You, some directions from a paper cutting challenge at ScrapMatters, and some photos of Tina and came up with this:

Tina

Here's the other two pages, in case you lost track:
Jen

Ally

You can get Wild About You HERE:

There, I feel better now!

Silly and Elegant

2011-01-28T09:18:00.003-05:00

Hi all! I wanted to show you a couple of layouts I've done this past week for challenges. First, here's a page I did for a challenge at Brownie Scraps that asks you to use the word "Silly" as the theme for your layout. It's the first photos I've scrapped from my recent trip to Florida:

Fun, huh? I used a new kit by Scraps by Mara called In Hospital. It was designed in honor of Mara's little nephew who spent the first few weeks of his life in the hospital, but as you can see, it's versatile enough for other pages as well:

The next layout is one I did for a color challenge at ScrapMatters. The colors they asked you to use went perfectly with this photo of Ally from New Years Eve:

I used genia Beana's Basically Elegant, which I had also used for a nice portrait of Jen a few weeks back. I guess I'll be creating a portrait page of Tina next!

Fresh Baked Brownies!

2011-01-25T10:20:00.002-05:00

Tuesday is release day for the Bakers at Brownie Scraps, so I'm here to show you some Fresh Baked Brownies! First of all, here is a sweet, girly birthday kit from Scraps by Mara titled Celebrate Natalie:

You can pick up the kit HERE in the shop. There's also a coordinating boy-oriented kit called Celebrate Xander that you can pick up on its own or as part of a cost-saving bundle with Natalie! I've been waiting for a cute kit to scrap these birthday photos of a favorite baby:

Next, let's head down to the farm with this fun kit by Ramona the Pest called Farm Country:

Being a city girl, I knew right away which photo I wanted to scrap with this kit:

Valentine's Day is coming up, so here's a softly hued kit from Flutterbye Faery Designs called Just Because:

I used it to scrap this photo from a wedding I attended last fall:

There will be more goodies and an announcement coming up soon, so stay tuned!

Wild About You!

2011-01-23T18:33:00.005-05:00

Genia Beana Scraps has just released a Valentine's Day themed kit that takes a walk on the wild side. It's called, what else, Wild About You, and you can pick up the kit or the coordinating cardstock pack HERE at ScrapMatters for 20% off!
The kit:

...and a peek at a layout I did of an adorable little wild man:

I'll be back in a couple of days with some more new stuffs!

All Sorts of Goodies

2011-01-22T09:58:00.003-05:00

First of all, let me apologize for the funky look to my blog. I'm having some issues with the background and haven't quite gotten them resolved. So, bear with me while we move on to fun stuff!

After being out of the loop for a bit I wanted to catch up and show you some kits I worked with a couple of weeks ago. Scraps by Mara released this monochromatic kit called I Love Snow, available HERE at Brownie Scraps. While obviously a winter-themed kit, it works well for non-winter pages too:

Country Hollow Creations is a guest designer at Brownie Scraps for the month of January. Here's a peek at her springy, Easter-y kit called Hippity Hop:

I scrapped this page with some photos from last Easter:

I'm making some forays into the world of hybrid scrapping, starting with this cute box template from WendyBird Designs called Candy Wrap Up:

With Valentine's day coming up I can see lots of opportunity for this template, although I went with a more generic theme:

Get the template HERE at Brownie Scraps!

P365 Finale!

2011-01-10T19:05:00.002-05:00

Well, the time has come to show you folks my last two weeks of my Project 365 layouts. I'm glad I saw this project through to the end, although as I've said before, it was getting a little tough there. I'm going to take a break for 2011...I may do a monthly highlight page (sort of a P12, if you will), but I know certain people who inhabit my world will be happy to know that I'm not going to be jumping in front of them with a camera at any given moment (you know who you are!).

So, here are week 51:

And week 52, which has 8 photos since there are actually 52 weeks and one day in a 365-day year, and as you know, I organized my pages by weeks:

You may recognize genia Beana Scraps' gorgeous kit Basically Elegant that I showed you last time, but I also used Val's kit 365 Things, which was specifically designed for P365 layouts, calendars, and brag books:

Most of my digi layouts just live in cyberspace, but I'm going to have this entire year of pages printed out, so if you're ever over my house, feel free to take a look!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T09:29:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season, and here's best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2011 for all! It was nice to take a break from the routine, but it's also nice to get back in the saddle, so to speak. To that end, I've got tons of new products to show you from a variety of wonderful designers!

First, here is a simply stunning kit from genia Beana Scraps called Basically Elegant, available HERE at ScrapMatters:

Here's a layout I did for a challenge at ScrapMatters, also using a coordinating cardstock pack:

Next up is the January Baker's Dozen collab at Brownie Scraps, yours for FREE when you spend $10 in the store! It's called Ringin' It In:

I used this collab to create a layout for the challenge I am hosting over at Brownie Scraps this month, the Brownie Flip Challenge:

Also at Brownie Scraps we have offerings from two designers who are guests for the month of January. Beckie of B2N2 Scraps was in my Brownie Institute class back in October, and she creates some truly amazing kits! I got to play with this awesome kit called Brights of Winter:

A rather simple page I did:

I like this kit so much and thought it was perfect for these photos of Becca I found on Facebook, so I did another page, this time for a challenge at Brownie Scraps:

Another guest designer is Michelle of Ohana Designs, who you are already familiar with from her shop over at MLAS. She released this kit, True Colors, as exclusive to Brownie Scraps for the month of January:

My thanks to Sarah for posting this photo on Facebook...I lifted it and scrapped it!

Finally, we have a collab between Ohana Designs and Scraps by Mara called Friends Across the Miles. You can pick it up HERE, also at Brownie Scraps:

And I did this page showing how sisters can be friends, too!

Whew! That was a lot of catching up to do! I hope you saw something you liked. Speaking of catching up, I've got the two last weeks of P365 pages to show you. Once I actually make them, that is! Til then...

Winter Angel

2010-12-28T12:10:00.003-05:00

If you're surrounded by wintery, snowy images to scrap, Ohana Designs has a cool and frosty winter kit out called Winter Angel. It's available HERE in the shop at My Life and Scrap:

I used this kit for a couple of challenges over at MLAS, and I'm rather tickled to say that, while they didn't win, each of these layouts was nominated for Layout of the Week for the weeks they were posted. See what a gorgeous kit can do for your photos?