Dreaming In Scraps: October 2009

Inspiration comes in many forms...

There was a thread on the Paper Popsicles message board earlier this week about where inspiration comes from. I replied that I usually find inspiration in galleries and blogs, then it all becomes a jumbled mess in my brain until it finds its way to the page. Can you tell I'm not very organized in this department?

But once in a while, inspiration comes from somewhere completely different. In this case, it was a combination of (a) a vintage find at my in-laws' house, (b) a special photo that I had tucked away for a while and (c) the weekly sketch challenge on the Paper Popsicles blog.

The vintage find has kind of a cool story. We were at my in-laws' house for dinner on Sunday, and my girls were making their usual mess of toys all over the living room. As I started to make an effort to straighten up the mess, I picked up this little strand of yellowed silk flowers. Immediately, I said "ooooh...these would be perfect on a layout!" So my mother-in-law said "Take them!" She then went on to explain that they had been on the wedding hat of my father-in-law's mother. I just thought they were so beautiful and perfect, I couldn't believe I had the luck to find them that way. And I knew they would be perfect for a photo that I had been meaning to scrap for a while.

The photo has a cool story, too. It's four generations of women in my family: my grandmother (who passed away last month), my mother and my aunt, myself and my two daughters. Somehow, we only have girls in this family. Personally, I think it's because we are all so strong and fiesty...those Y chromosomes never had a chance in this group!

So here's the layout...

It's a little different from my usual fun, bold style, but I like it. I hand-cut the flower and flourish shapes from My Mind's Eye paper, then used them as masks when I sprayed Glimmer Mist for the background.

Here's a close-up of those amazing vintage flowers...

I threw in some elements from a Jenni Bowlin Junque Box -- a book page and a button -- to complement the vintage feel of the flowers.

Thanks for visiting! Have a wonderful weekend!

What a nice surprise!

I love an unexpected, pleasant surprise. So when Paper Popsicles decided to release our Design Team projects for the November kits early as a little pre-Halloween gift, I was delighted. Mostly because it answered my question, "What am I going to post today?" But also because I can't wait to buy the Jolly By Golly kit (the one I didn't get to work with this month...the one that includes all those yummy Cosmo Cricket papers) to make Christmas cards -- now that I'm in the Christmas spirit and all. (wink, wink)

As for the kit I *did* get to work with, well, it rocked! It's called Seasons of Color. Admittedly, we don't get a lot of "fall color" here in Texas. But when I put my not-so-fall-colored photos with these vibrant fall papers, it actually makes them seem a little more fall-ish. Take a look...

And here are the three cards I made with the kit:

The specialty papers in this kit are amazing: the scalloped circle and the lace acorn paper are from Little Yellow Bicycle, and the orange doilie paper is from BasicGrey. I'm pretty happy with myself for making ONE sheet of the BasicGrey paper last through two layouts and two cards...that has to be some sort of a record, doesn't it? (Well, at least for me it is.)

Photos of all the November kits and projects are in the Paper Popsicles Gallery. Check it out!

Thanks for looking!

60 Days and Counting...

Can you believe it? Only 60 shopping days left until Christmas?! Yes, I know it's annoying to walk into the nearest shopping mall to sounds of Perry Como and strands of glistening lights when we haven't even gotten Halloween out of the way yet. But that's how it is, and I couldn't resist adding a little "holly jolly" to my blog on this cold, rainy afternoon.

Here's a fun little home decor project I did this weekend using the Polar Expressions line from Imaginisce. I just love that little polar bear feltie and, the moment I saw him, ideas started brewing in my head. Yes, that can sometimes be dangerous. But in this case, all turned out well and I ended up with a new piece of holiday decor.

I made the tree by cutting strips of the green paper (which conveniently has diagonal stripes all over it) and trimming the edges parallel to the diagonal in different lengths. I then stacked them on top of each other to form the tree. The lights and peppermint decorations are actually rub-0n borders that I cut up.

The presents were just cut with a square punch, then I trimmed a bit off the top to make them more rectangular. That's Imaginisce ribbon, and it's double-sided, so the same ribbon was used on both packages...just different sides.

I even made the fireplace out of Imaginisce papers. I liked the way the red words lined up to seem a little like bricks. Reminds me a little of the fireplace in the house where I grew up.

The sentiment, stockings and peppermint on top of the tree are all chipboard from the Imaginisce Polar Expressions line, too. Are you sensing a pattern here? :)

To finish off the project, I wanted something to spice up the somewhat boring frame I bought at Michael's, so I took more Imaginisce ribbon, trimmed it into pieces, ran it through my Xyron "X" and adhered it onto the frame to create a border.

Since the length of the ribbon that came in the package wasn't *quite* long enough to make it all the way around, I finished it off with little chipboard wreath, which I mounted onto the chipboard backing that came in the package of rub-ons. I really love manufacturers who include nice chipboard in their packaging...it's such a bonus!!

And now that I've gotten a jump on my holiday decor, I guess it's time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. Right after I get rid of all this Halloween candy.

Flower Power!

Today, I’m going to show you how to create a sweet little paper flower (like the one I used on my card for the Paper Popsicles blog sketch) using just a few simple tools.

You will need:

A circle punch (I’m using a 1 ¼” circle punch)
Scraps of paper (double-sided paper creates a neat effect; however, you can still do it with single-sided paper and your contrast color will be white)
Adhesive
A button or brad for the center of the flower

I’m using the double-sided papers from the Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday line, both of which are still available in the Paper Popsicles store.

1. Punch 6 circles from your scraps of paper.

2. Take one of the circles and fold a small portion of one edge toward the center. Fold the same portion of the other side of the circle toward the center so that you have a petal shape like this.

3. Repeat with the other 5 circles, making sure that the shape of each petal is uniform with the others.

4. Begin adhering the circles onto a layout or piece of cardstock. Align the folded edges together to create a full circle of petals.

5. Finish with a button or brad in the center.

You can also make a stem from ric-rac, ribbon or paper and add some leaves. Perfect for a card, layout or home decor.

Who doesn't love a FREEBIE?!

Check out the adorable shaped card template that Paper Popsicles is offering for their Freebie Friday!

I think this example is so cute and would be super easy to scraplift for Halloween or Thanksgiving cards:

All you have to do is go to the Paper Popsicles store, in the Shaped Card Templates section and add this to your cart. It's free, there's no shipping cost and it will be emailed to you today! Can't beat that!

Reliving the adventure

Small confession: I'm starting to get burned out on Halloween stuff. I didn't think it was possible because I *LOVE* Halloween. But between DT projects, blog hops, swaps, Trunk or Treat and getting my kids outfitted for the parties and the night itself...well, I just need a bit of a break.

So I skimmed back through my photos to find the least Halloween-related ones I could, and I stumbled upon these photos from our hike in Dominica this summer. If you haven't been to Dominica, it's truly one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean. It's not your typical sandy beach island. No, Dominica is full of mountains, rainforests, waterfalls, soothing hot springs and just generally beautiful scenery. And it rains there...a lot! If you're into adventure (think hiking, rappeling, rock climbing, etc.), Dominica should be on your must-see list.

This layout is also for a challenge I posted on Making Memories for You. In honor of Columbus Day, I challenged the group to create a layout about a journey or exploration. It could be an actual destination (such as Dominica) or a more personal journey (like the journey to lose weight, stop smoking, etc.).

The papers are by Making Memories and Little Yellow Bicycle. The little chipboard flourish is from KI Memories and I used Shimmerz on it to give it that beautiful color and finish.

Thanks for stopping by!

And the winner is...

Commenter #12: The Pavlik Family!!! Congrats!

Please email me your address at robmab@yahoo.com and I will mail you your Halloween goody bag!

And thanks again to everyone who "stomped" by yesterday. Hope you had as much fun as I did!

Welcome to the Creepy Crawly Blog Stomp!!

Welcome to Paper Popsicles' second blog hop, our CREEPY, CRAWLY, BLOG STOMP! Today, we hope that as you go around to each of our creative team member blogs, you will find inspiration, some tricks, and perhaps some TREATS!

If you stumbled upon my blog from Jen's Blog -- great!!! You're on the right track! If you stumbled upon my blog first and wish to play along, please start at the Paper Popsicles blog.

Our porch lights are now on! As you move from one blog to the next, you will collect a TREAT (a word). Gather all the treats to make a ghoulish saying and email your phrase to Melissa at melissa@paperpopsicles.com. For your efforts, you will be entered into a RAK drawing to win a fantastic prize—the Loud Talker Monthly Kit!

Please leave a comment on every blog during our stomp...otherwise you might miss out on some other free treats!

And speaking of treats, I have lots of them for you! For starters, I have a yummy RAK for one of my ghoulish blog readers. After all, what's a party without a goody bag? And do I have a goody bag for you! Chocked full of Halloween embellishments from Making Memories, BasicGrey and -- why yes, that IS a Jenni Bowlin mini bingo card!

If you leave a comment on this post, you'll get one entry and if you follow my blog, you'll get an additional entry!

But wait...there's more! Oh yes, it's your lucky day, my blog-stomping friends. I also have a fun Halloween project idea to share...an easy and oh-so-festive Halloween plaque that you can either hang on the wall or display on an easel.

Here's how to make your own:

Buy an unfinished wooden plaque (I got mine at Hobby Lobby for under $2), and paint it with black acrylic paint (two coats).
You'll need at least 5 (or less if they are double-sided) different papers in Halloween colors. The Paper Popsicles "Spooky" kit would get you exactly what you need.
Use a 1 1/4" square punch to punch squares from the different papers.
Arrange your squares on the raised portion of the plaque, spacing them evenly with approximately 1/4" of space around each square. (The raised section of my plaque is approximately 5 3/4" x 8 1/2" and I used 22 squares. Depending on the size of your plaque, you may need more or less than that.)
Use Distress Ink around the edges of each square to give it an aged look.
Using a foam paint brush, coat the back of each square with Mod Podge and adhere the squares into place.
Put an additional coat of Mod Podge all over the top of the plaque (and the sides) to seal it and give it all the same finish.
To create the flower, select two matching or coordinating papers. From one paper, cut 4 strips that measure 3 1/2" by 1/2". From the other paper, cut 4 strips that measure the paper into strips that measure 2" x 3/8". Krinkle the strips a little, then lay them crosswise in an asterisk shape with the long strips forming the bottom layer and the short strips forming the top layer. I added a jewel and some Stickles to the center to give it a little bling.
Add a title and some Halloween die-cuts using pop dots to add some dimension. Then it's ready for your mantle!

Still looking for another treat -- maybe something with letters? The treat on my blog is PAPER POPSICLES!

Now that you have been scared into the season, don’t forget to leave a comment so you'll be entered for all the awesome prizes! Then check this list to make sure you've stomped in all the right places:

1. Tricia www.triciastreasures.blogspot.com

2. Lynda www.positive-force.blogspot.com

3. Cassie www.fortheartofit.blogspot.com

4. Valerie www.allmyscrappin.blogspot.com

5. Lora www.singingsquirrel.blogspot.com

6. Carol www.crazyforcrafting.blogspot.com

7. Amy www.papertrailsleaver.blogspot.com

8. Jen www.jensbrainthings.blogspot.com

9. Robyn www.dreaminginscraps.blogspot.com - YOU ARE HERE...if you have missed any of the above stops, go back now!!!

HAPPY STOMPING! Hope to see you again soon!

Paper Popsicles Guest DT Call

Paper Popsicles is looking for 3 Guest Designers for NOVEMBER!! A digital stamp guest designer, a shaped card template guest designer and a product guest designer. Interested??? Here are the specifics on each position.

Digital Stamp Designer:
You will be given 5 digital stamp images to work with. We would like 1 used in a layout and the others as cards or tags or used on an altered item. You will be supplied with the digital images only.

Guest Designer:
You will receive goodies from the store to use for creating a minimum of 3 layouts. Materials will be from different manufacturers but will coordinate so you can mix and match.

Shaped Card Template Designer:
You will be given 5 shaped card templates to work with. We want each template to be made into a card. You will be supplied with the digital file for the shaped card templates only.

For details on how to apply, check out the Paper Popsicles blog post.

You have until the October 31st at midnight to apply. The winner will be selected from those that satisfy the requirements and will be contacted after November 1st.

I've had so much fun working with Paper Popsicles, so take advantage of this opportunity to join a really fun team!

Scrap-Friendzy Birthday Blog Hop: Stop #7

I love celebrating birthdays, and I'm so happy to be part of the Scrap-Friendzy party this week! Thanks for stopping by to visit. If you've joined in late and missed the other stops on the hop, go HERE to start from the beginning!!

October 10th will be the last day of the hop so keep visiting Scrap-Friendzy each day to find out which design team blog to visit next.

Also, make sure you leave me a comment and again at each stop to get your name in the drawing for an awesome prize. If you visit and comment on all 10 blogs for the 10 days of the birthday blog hop, your name will be entered 10 times.

At Scrap-Friendzy we have a point system called Friendz Points (FPZ). For each challenge that you complete, you will earn FPZ which could earn you another great prize at the end of the month!

You have until the end of October to complete all of the Blog Hop Challenges for Friendz Pointz, but only until October 15th to leave a comment on all of the Blog Hop Stops to get your name in the bucket for the Blog Hop Prize Drawing!!!

So now that we've taken care of the housekeeping, it's time to get to my challenge for you.

My favorite part of any birthday celebration is…you guessed it...the CAKE! So my birthday challenge is all about CAKE. For this challenge you must complete a layout (12x12, 8x8, 8.5x11…doesn’t matter) that incorporates either the word “cake” or an image of cake in some way (title, embellishment, photo, stamp, etc.) and uses ALL of the following:

Chipboard
Acrylic paint
Kraft paper
Edge punching

Here's my example:

I used cake in my chipboard embellishments and I also included a photo of cake in the layout. I love the way the acrylic paints I blended together kind of look like pink frosting.

This challenge is worth 25 Friendz Pointz! If you use 5 or more photos like I did, give yourself an extra 5 points! Simply complete it and upload it into our Gallery at Scrap-Friendzy!

Check back on the SF blog tomorrow for Blog Hop Stop #8!

Better late than never

I intended to post my Design Team projects for the October Paper Popsicles kit last week, but life kinda got in the way. My wonderful grandmother passed away on Tuesday, and I took a little time away from the blogosphere to spend with my family and friends and celebrate the life of that amazing lady who meant so much to me.

Now that I'm back, I have a lot of catching up to do! So without further ado...let's see those Design Team projects! Paper Popsicles is offering 4 kits this month. As you may have guessed from the sneaks I posted last week, I had an adorable Halloween-themed kit -- named "Spooky" -- to work with. It had two die-cut papers in it...one of them shaped like a pumpkin...