Lots'O Mist || Clique Kits

Good morning - happy Saturday!!

I'm on the Clique Kits blog today with my second layout made with the February kit, Hot Mess.  One of the coolest things about this month's kit is that it comes with a mini bottle of Heidi Swapp Color Shine.  Seriously, how cool is that?!?!

I was lucky enough to get the "Butter" bottle in my kit and knew that I wanted the mist to be a main focus of my layout.  I began by punching out some large circles and using them as masks on my cardstock.  I then filled in the circles with patterned paper and embellishments.

Another thing on this layout that I'm kind of proud of?  My hand-cut title!  Every time I've attempted this technique in the past, it has looked like something my two-year old niece created.  By keeping the title simple and combining it with the alphabet stickers, I think it ended up looking half-way decent!

Thanks for stopping by - enjoy the weekend!!

Cardstock: American Crafts; "Today Rocks" Label: Clique Kits; Mist, Date Stamp: Heidi Swapp; Everything Else: Crate Paper

A Pretty Card for Pretty Little Studio

I can't believe that I made another card!  Cards are not my "thing".  I'm not good at making them and I don't know what to do with them when I'm done!  But sometimes, I just get in the mood to create something besides a layout and a card is born!  :)

For my most recent prompt at Pretty Little Studio, I was given an image and asked to make a project inspired by it.  Here was the image:

Source

I really loved the color scheme going on in the photo and decided that I would make a card with the same color scheme:

I actually think it turned out okay!  It's a little more froo-froo than my  normal style, but it's always good to branch out a bit and experiment!

Do you ever make cards?  Do you enjoy it?

Cardstock: Bazzill; Mist: Heidi Swapp; Die Cuts: Clique Kits, Heidi Swapp, Pretty Little Studio; Staples: Tim Holtz; Sequins: SpiegelMom Scraps, Pretty Little Studio; Doily, Label, Tab, Vellum: Pretty Little Studio

A Banner Layout || Clique Kits

Hey, everyone!  I hope you are having a nice and relaxing Sunday!

I wanted to quickly share a layout that I had up on the Clique Kits blog last Friday.  The February kit, Hot Mess, was just recently revealed and it is full of the awesome Shine collection created by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper.  Another cool aspect of the kit this month is that we have some exclusive cut files designed by Nicole Nowosad of JustNick:

I really liked the little heart banner cut file and decided that I wanted to use that fie on my first layout.  I enlarged the file and tweaked the heart a bit so it was big enough for a picture to fit inside.  Then I made a banner design across the page, filling in with bits of paper and ephemera:

I actually kind of like it!  :)

Cardstock: Bazzill; Mist: Heidi Swapp; Cut Files: JustNick; Everything Else: Crate Paper

Scraplift Saturday || 1.23

Good morning, all!  Happy weekend!!  I am popping in with another installation of Scraplift Saturday.  I always pick one of my older layouts and try to update it a bit.  

For this week, I decided to scraplift this layout:

Here is my updated version, using the long-hoarded "I Am" collection from Simple Stories:

Do you scraplift yourself?  I'd love to see....leave a link in the comments!!

Cardstock: Bazzill; Mist: Heidi Swapp; Twine: My Mind's Eye; Sequins: SpiegelMom Scraps; Staples: Tim Holtz; Patterned Paper, Stickers, Die Cute: Simple Stories

Clique Kits' January Pep Rally

Hi, everyone!!  Welcome to the first Clique Kits' pep rally of 2016!  The Alegria kit has been an amazing way to start off the new year, don't you think?

For my layout, I went with a simple style that I really enjoy.  I use this vertical design a lot and modify it slightly to fit the photo and products I'm working with.  I think the vertical layout is a god way to highlight a photo and really make it the main focus of the layout:

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Here is the full line up for the hop:

Clique Kits 

Melissa Vining
Candace 

Kat Benjamin (you are here!)

Leigh Ann 

Aliza 

Elisabetta 

Donna 

Emma Pescott 

Sandy Gonzalez

Kim Allen 

Mariah Hechler 

Renee Aslette

Kate Blue

Megan Blethen 

Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper, Die Cuts, Stickers, Labels: Fancy Pants Designs; Cut Apart Labels: Charlie Fox Paper Co; Sequins: Pinkfresh Studio

PL 2016 || Title Page

So...last year I did not do so great with the Project Life.  I made it almost half-way through the year...then we moved and I over-committed myself with other scrappy projects...and more poor album was neglected.  I hope I can go back and finish it at some point, especially since I finished my 2013 and 2014 albums and they are some of my favorite projects!

This year I have decided to re-tackle the project with a much simpler approach...but more on that in a later post.

Today I just want to share my 2016 title page.  I made it with a variety of Pretty Little Studio and SpiegelMom Scraps products.  Even though I decided not to continue with the SMS team this year, that doesn't mean that Jody's shop doesn't rock - you'll still be seeing her products in most of my work!!

So, here is my page:

You may think that Holiday Love paper from PLS is a bit over-used by me.  You're probably right.  But one of the perks to being on the design team is that I can get as many copies of it as I want...so I did!  I think it's so versatile and fun...and not at all holiday-y.

I used my Fuse Tool to trap in my numbers and my sequins from SMS.

I kept the page simple...and I like it.  Hopefully, it's setting me up for simple success for the rest of the year!

Are you doing Project Life this year?  What is your approach for it?  I'd love to hear!

Page Protector: Becky Higgins (Design F); Wood Veneers: Studio Calico;  Staples: Tim Holtz; Mist: Heidi Swapp; Sequins: SpiegelMom Scraps; Everything Else: Pretty Little Studio

Another Alegria Layout || Clique Kits

Good morning, everyone!  I was able to find some time this past weekend to play with the Clique Kits Alegria kit again.  I really, REALLY love this kit.  The Happy Place collection from Fancy Pants is my jam ;o)

Since I love all the papers so much, I wanted to try to find a way to showcase as many of them as possible:

And that multi-colored plus-sign paper?  My FAVORITE!!  I really had to fight the urge to hoard it.  I wish I had a million pieces of it!

On a related note, make sure you join in the Clique Kits' challenge this month - you can create anything for it!  So easy!

Happy Hump Day!!

Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die Cuts,Stickers: Fancy Pants Designs; Journaling Card: Clique Kits (designed by Charlie Fox Paper Co); Twine: American Crafts

Pretty Little Studio || Vellum Tape

Good morning, everyone!  Welcome back to the work week!  Hope you're weekend was a good one and that you were able to get a lot of creative time in!

I wanted to share a layout that I had up on the Pretty Little Studio blog last week.  My assignment was to highlight their vellum tape - and I pretty much used a whole package in my layout:

I layered the vellum tape from the Let's Go collection with die cut arrows and note flags - I really love the end result!

Thanks for stopping in!

Supplies: Cardsotck: Bazzill, Mist: Heidi Swapp; Enamel Dots: My Mind's Eye; Everything Else: Pretty Little Studio

Scraplift Saturdays - Making a Comeback

About 2 years ago I used to do a series on my blog called "Scraplift Saturdays" where I would take one of my favorite personal layouts from the past year or so and try to put a new spin on it.  I figured it was time to try to bring it back.  

Today I chose to scraplift a layout I actually didn't like very much to see if I could make it better.

Here's the layout:

For the scraplift, I rotated the design, moved it off-center and made the squares smaller...and I actually really like the new layout:

That B-Side Collection from Basic Grey is one of my favorites!  I've been eyeing it for awhile and I got it for Christmas - and I LOVE it!!!

Happy weekend!

Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper, Alphas, Stickers: Basic Grey; Wooden Word, Mist: Heidi Swapp; Staples: Tim Holtz

Bella Blvd || Seriously Cute Kid

Hello, all!!  I wanted to pop in and quickly share a layout that I  had up on the Bella Blvd blog yesterday.  I used the fun Illustrated Faith collection, Whatever is Lovely.  The background paper is usually just black and white striped, but I used my gelatos to colors it in sporadically.  I also stitched down sown of the new Tiny Text alphas to create a sort of border along the background paper.

Isn't that kid seriously cute?!?!  Do you see his face in that first photo?  ADORABLE!!

Cardstock: Bazzill; Doily: SpiegelMom Scraps; Everything else: Bella Blvd

Clique Kits' Alegria

Good morning, everyone...well, sort of...it's back to reality for me today after a nice long break.  I'm not sad to be going back to work, just a little weary after having so much time off relaxing and enjoying my family.  I guess we'll all fall back into a normal routine soon.  :o)

I wanted to pop in and share one of my first layouts of the year with you.  I made this one with January's kit from Clique Kits.  The kit is called Alegria - and it's just that - happy.  I adore it.  It's chock full of the Fancy Pants' collection, Happy Place, and it's so bright and colorful.  Honestly, these kits keep getting better and better.  I feel so blessed to be on this team and experience all the scrappy goodness :o)

I kept this layout simple.  That background paper is so much fun and I used my gelatos to highlight a few key phrases.  I really love the effect.

Thanks for stopping in!!  Enjoy your Monday (if possible!).

Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper, Diecuts, Stickers, Labels: Fancy Pants Designs; Twine: American Crafts; Staples: Tim Holtz; Sequins: Pinkfresh Studio; Mist: Heidi Swapp

Bella Blvd New Releases!

Hi, everyone!  Happy, happy New Year!  With the new year, it means that CHA is just around the corner - which means tons of awesome new releases from all our favorite scrap companies!  This season, Bella Blvd is doing their biggest release yet and there are a ton of amazing collections and products coming.  Here's a look (follow the links to see full reveals on the Bella website):

Let's Go Collection

Cute Baby Boy and Sweet Baby Girl Collections

Illustrated Faith - She Blooms Collection (my personal fave)

Chip Scripts and Cute Clips

A ton of new Illustrated Faith essentials

The Zoo Crew collection

And they're not done yet!  Keep checking the Bella blog for more exciting releases!!