"Laugh Often" 16x20 canvas

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Memorial Day weekend. I was able to spend this morning scrapping with my best friend, Jess. Here is the canvas I created today. I don't have pictures for it yet but I was too excited to wait to post.

The paper line is from Crate Paper and is called 'Seasons.' I found the canvas at Michael's on sale, two for $5.99. Canvas comes in various sizes. This particular one is 16x20. Since scrap paper is only 12x12 you have to be a bit creative to cover up any seams.

I used my cricut machine to create my diecut words and large frame on the left. I made the bottom portion a pocket so my tags could stick out of it. To make a pocket simply glue on the left side, right side and bottom only. This leaves the top open to slide items into it.

I wanted to add some dimension to the page so I took one row of flowers and punched out various size circles in coordinating paper. Then I trimmed all edges of each circle (so they wouldn't be perfect), sprayed them with water and crinkled them, then set them aside to dry. Once dry you can add a brad and glue them down. I also used pop up tape on 'Laugh Often'.

I will post an update picture of this project once I add my photos. :)

'Dream' Layout

Lately I am loving black and white photos. No matter what paper choice or colors you use, a black and white photo always works on the page. For this simple layout I used one sheet of background and texture paper, then cut a scallop at the bottom of a mesh piece and added it on top.

Flower: I created the flower in the upper right corner by punching 2 circles of various sizes. Take a spray bottle and get each side slightly wet. Fold in all edges and allow to dry. Once dry, add a brad and glue to your page. This is an easy (and inexpensive) way to add a three dimensional element to any page.

Ribbon: I took ordinary black ribbon and using glue dots I turned it into a more interesting embellishment. I simply kept folding the ribbon back on itself and adhered each piece with a mini glue dot.

Even though the page is virtually colorless I find it very appealing and want to work more with gray-scale papers.

My Scrap Room

Welcome to Lisa's scrap store (oops - I mean scrap room). My friends always say that you don't know how serious I am about my hobby until you step foot in my room. I thought it was time to give some of you a peek into my work space.

I found a zebra lamp with pink trim at Bombay Kids and from there this room was born.

Tour of my room:
3 paper stands
Clip it up for embellishments
Oversized work table
Lots of storage compartments
Paper towel holder & regular towel bar to hold ribbon
Dollar tree crates to hold my acrylic stamps
Stamp pad organizer
*I have a very handy, wood working dad who built one of my paper stands, my desk, and my stamp pad holder. I am a lucky girl! =)

Next on my list: a slatwall panel where I can showcase some of my favorite projects.

Off-center frame

I am a Math teacher by day but a scrapper by night. Usually the left-side of my brain likes things very 'matchy-matchy' but for this layout I tried to switch things up and not cut the frame directly down the middle.

Extra details: spice up a title by taking out any '0' and replacing it with a flower. I also added a rubon on top of the center photo and made the date in the corner pop.

Altered project (acrylic & magnets)

Occasionally I get inspired to create a home decor or altered project. Here is one which was made from 3 square 6x6 pieces. The top and bottom pieces are acrylic and the middle is magnetic. I decorated each square with paper, rub-ons, and bling. For the middle metal piece I took 3 household magnets and glued flowers on top. The magnets allow for easily changing out your favorite photos. To tie them together I punched holes in each one and attached them together with ribbon.
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Loving 'crate paper'

At one of the scrapbook expos last year I met the owner of 'Crate Paper' and fell in love with their products. This company is based out of Utah and last year was his first CA show. Their company provides complete coordinated kits (no sample layout ideas) but the kits come with paper, ribbon, rubons, 3-D letters, etc. It is enough to make multiple coordinated layouts. Here are two single page layouts that were created with the "Static" paper line.

For the first page I cut individual pieces of the patterned paper in different lengths and added an embellishment to the end of each (ribbon or brad). I added 3D journaling words to a few of the strips. Then I used a paper distresser along the brown cardstock to make the white core show.

For the second page I tore the paper at the top and bottom of the page to make it look rugged. To the left and right photo backer I added an extra embellishment. To create this look take a square piece of paper, fold two of the corners to meet at the middle, then hole punch each folded portion and add an eyelet. Complete the look by threading ribbon through the eyelets and tie a knot. (no photos for this one yet, but I'm thinking of Mr. Nolan riding his big wheel)

Inspired by Others

Here are a few pages where I was inspired by someone else. Some call it 'scraplifting' but I call it 'loving it and making it your own' :) The pages here were inspired by Close to My Heart original designs. I love the flower in the single page layout. This is created by using a circle punch to create 7 circles. Then you fold two sides about 1/3 of the way in and glue down. Leave one circle whole and glue the 7 folded pieces to this circle to create your flower. Add a brad to the middle and 'voila' you are done. (CTMH design idea)

The second layout has a pullout feature for journaling. To add this to your album and make the journaling accessible: Once I put the layout in my page protector I will cut a small slit in the protector using an exacto knife so that the journaling can slide in and out. The majority of the tag will be on the outside of the protector when I am finished.

The paper line is from Crate Paper and is from their "Blue Hill" collection.

Friendship Card

Here is a card made with leftover papers. At the end of any page layout I try to take the remaining coordinating pieces and turn it into a card. This card uses acrylic stamps from 'Close to my Heart', rub-ons from Quick Quotes, and paper flowers from 'Prima Flowers,' along with a few other embellishments. A little 'bling' goes a long way.

Quick Quotes art

In November of 2009 I was hired by Quick Quotes Scrapbooking Company to help teach their classes around the country at CK and Scrapbook Expo conventions. This is 'very' part-time and only a few weekends a year but is soooo much fun. They are a small family run business and I am blessed to be working with them and their other 'amazing' teacher Michelle Granger.

Some of the perks of the job include seeing their new paper lines before everyone else. Here are a few of my own designs that I've created with their new paper lines "Summertime Blues" and "Mary's Garden."

Double page layout includes a 'scrap-a-lope' where you can store mementos from the event/occasion. Pg 2 also has a flip up feature in the middle where you can put an additional photo. The single page layout uses a frame from the Cricut cartridge "Stamping" along with a velum strip at the top.

Here we go....

So I finally accepted the advice of many and have decided to start my own scrapping blog. On this page I will show my art work, talk about techniques, and hopefully help inspire others to create their own works of art. All designs are my own unless otherwise stated :)

Let me preface my blog by saying that I have more finished pages than I have photos. I get inspired by a color scheme or idea and off I go creating a page without a particular picture in mind. Some of my pages are awaiting the perfect picture, so please bear with me if some of the photos of my layouts are devoid of any pictures.

I'm ready for the 'blog' adventure and I hope you'll join me.