Well, I am happy to report (and super excited) that I was chosen to be a “twisted sister” -a design team member of the coolest sketch blog! www.twistedsketches.com ! anyone who knows me well, knows that I am CONSUMED by scrapbooking and paper crafting! and this sketch blog is amazing…. it provides so much inspiration…but what I love the most…are the “twists” to the sketches…it makes you think out-of-the-box and helps you to use some of the vast supplies that most scrappers seem to accumulate! I need that kind of push…for example, I have a million stamps that are hardly ever used…but I love them…so this motivates me to use the things/tools/embellishments  that I possess in new and creative ways when I may or may not have used them at all!  This is going to be FUN!!!!! Thanks to ANAM STUBBINGTON for giving me this opportunity to have this kind of fun and to be able to share it with others!!! My 2 1/2year-old baby daughter, Elizabeth,and I have already done the happy dance together in celebration! 🙂

Mini-Backpack Birthday card/box

Tomorrow is my baby sister’s birthday! After I made my oldest sister the mini-pizza box card (see my gallery at www.scrapbook.com  you can click on the icon on the right hand column) I knew that I needed to make something  just as fun & special… so I wandered over to

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/backpackbox/ which always has the best ideas and tutorials and found this little mini-backpack…I knew the Lime Rickey line from Basic Grey would be perfect and funky enough for my baby sister.  I cannot say that this project was quick & easy…but I think next time it will be…took me a little bit of figuring out what went where etc….but it was a very fun project…definitely worth a try for anyone who thinks it is as cute as I do…and how perfect is it for teenagers! I am using it to put a gift card into. I used Terrifically Tacky Tape which I find the cheapest at W. to ensure a good bond (just a suggestion) – also, pay close attention to the pictures provided on the tutorial…I did end up putting tape on the wrong side…which accounts for the pom-pom trim…:) when life gives you lemons, make lemonade… I have more fun trying to fix a mistake than not making any at all…just a little food for thought! Have a great  week everyone!!!

I was thrilled this week when I learned that my “Baby Daughter” layout had been chosen as Layout of the Week over at Swirlydoos.com…. check it out: http://www.swirlydoos.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?44580 

If this link doesn’t work you can go to www.swirlydoos.com and click under forums, Scrappy Chat, then Layout of the week for 1-10-10.

 The newest sketch is up on www.twistedsketches.com (twisted sketch #31 – the twist being “white” however that word inspires you.) I had to play along:   

 I think it is fairly obvious what my white elements are here….the background paper is by My Mind’s Eye…I white-washed it with watered down white acrylic paint so that the pink would be subtle….I used a square shaped paper doily that I bought at M on clearance & hand-stitched around the diamond center, there is another one of the glitter snowflake ornaments that I bought on clearance at W…I love those things if you couldn’t already tell :o), the transparency over the photo is from CTMH, as are the 2 chipboard hearts in the upper right corner, button is from a Scarlet Lime kit, I cut the flourish out of some old textured wallpaper that I have had for some time….love using wallpaper….it cuts like a dream, the title adhesive chipboard letters are Prima, the small snowflakes I got at Oriental Trading Co. many moons ago….the heart above the title is covered in random buttons…TFL everyone…and you should go check out twisted sketches…. I’m hooked…plus, they have contests with every week’s sketch

                                                                            One of my first attempts at paper flower “quilting” – I first saw this technique in a CTMH catalog – take 2 paper flowers of the same size (preferably of 2 different colors for the contrast) – (the bigger the better -makes it easier)….pierce holes inside the inner part of the petals (along the inside) – stitch a running stitch along the edges- once you have it stitched, use some micro-tip point type scissors and very carefully cut out the inside of each petal (be careful as to NOT cut through your stitches – and honestly it doesn’t have to be super close for it to look good…) once you have the inner petals cut out put another paper flower underneath – I personally stitched 2 stitches on the outside tip of each petal through both flowers to keep the flowers lined up ….. gives a soft quilted look to the flowers.

                                                                                      Here are some up-close detailed photos of the stitching and the “quilted” paper flowers.

Sometimes you are asked the question: “What is your scrapbook style?” Well, I have pondered that question.  I have looked at the body of my work…..and I have finally decided that my scrapbook “style” is EXPERIMENTAL.  I love to try new techniques.  I am drawn to all types of different styles.  And I find that I like trying them all….I get bored with doing the same styles and techniques!  Something I have noticed that is common in my layouts is the “fullness” of a page….I find it visually pleasing to fill a page (although I am always drawn to the use of white space on layouts, I find it very difficult to do)….and I love to add the little extra details, even when I know they are often missed.  For example, the stitching on my pages is always by hand…I like the control of stitching by hand.  I cannot tell you how often I have extensively sewed on a layout only to cover up a lot of the stitching with design elements.  I had a friend tell me once that she thought a lot of my papers, embellishments on my pages came that way…until I explained to her in detail the different techniques that I had used.  So…after reviewing some of my layouts, I have decided that I would like to share some of my favorite techniques.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Here is a layout I did with the Twisted Sketches DT#3 sketch. The twist to this particular sketch was “Transparent.” http://www.twistedsketches.com/
Used my Scor-pal to score lines on the BG paper then sanded them for subtle texture, paper pierced a flourish around the square border;

Used quite a bit of transparent elements on this: the clear butterflies are another clearance find (this time at M) -they are suncatchers by Crafthouse…meant to be painted but left them clear on this….These are amazing for the extra dimension without the weight!; Colorbok’s Black/white clear sticker borders; Deja Views Clear Cut frames “family”; CTMH clear die-cut bracket;

The majority of paper and elements are from my October 2009 Scarlet Lime’s main kit: SEI – Moravia Cardstock (letter) stickers –matted them on black cardstock then cut them with my Xacto so they wouldn’t get completely lost on the page; Used provocraft decorative edge scissors; Colorbox chalk ink in red, creamy & dark browns; Black and white CS from AC; used Colorbok’s sticky journal stax for the little journaling spot; I cut the top off of a packaging, to use it as a b/w border and alas, I cannot find the remainder of the pkg to cite the source; Accented the clear bracket with Opaque White Staz-On; buttons are from the Scarlet Lime kit; BoBunny paper: Kitchen Spice Cinnamon; Scribble Scrabble: rockin robin paper; and the bg paper is an exclusive Scarlet Lime paper from the Oct kit…the last 3 papers mentioned are all in that kit.

TFL everyone! Appreciate all the kind comments! Hope everyone is having a great scraptastic start to the new year!!!!! -Nancy

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      FYI: My mom loved these pages!!!! Woo Hoo! :o)

This is my baby sister, Cindy! used the same Colorbok transparent frames…a lot of Prima papers, flowers, as well as some Webster’s pages! the chipboard frame is from CTMH the adhesive pearls are BG, the flourishes are Technique Tuesday, I picked up the black/white flower cameo at M, the glittered flourish is MM (I think) the larger butterfly is one of those clear color catcher mobiles made for children to color….picked it up a W on clearance and stickled it to death….love the dimension to it but without the weight! Used shimmer mist on the flowers too pink them up a bit!