My Little Shoebox - Audrey

My DT box with all the papers of My Little Shoebox  CHA Summer 2011 release arrived this weekend . & it was difficult not to want to cut into it right away ! woot ! 

Certainly my all time fave releases from My Little Shoebox todate ! 

I just had to try out the 3D rolled flowers - super easy to make - for the larger flower here I rolled it less tight for a bigger bloom and proceeded to design around it with the Cottage Cutz MLSB dies - leaves from the Ornate Circle frame ,  Orchid Flower; the oval frame from the Cameo and Oval Frame die set.

I added a little feathery boa to the flower set for a fun, wispy touch. 

I used the coordinating mini alphas of the Audrey line for the sentiment. 

Some stickles on the rolled flowers for a little sparkle too.

More later ! 

Tri Shutter Card - MLSB Sew Cute

This month's My Little Shoebox assignment to use the Sew Cute line 

was just sew much fun ! 

My first time here trying out a tri shutter card - it's so much easier than it looks- 

and I can say that since I'm so happily using my Martha Stewart scoring board to score 

up the necessary folds.

I put the Imaginisce i-rock rhinestones and glam rocks to good use here - 

using up as much as I could . ;)  

And my first go at altering a dressform too . 

The blue Webster's Pages tulle trim was just perfect to easily create a cute skirt here. 

And the necklace was created using the Imaginisce metallic glam rocks. 

Sew Much Fun !!!

 My first  Cottage Cutz DT blogpost is up today !

I was so thrilled to have the Cottage Cutz latest releases in my hands that

I simply had a little die cutting frenzy with my Cuttlebug machine .

I started off diecutting with scraps of neutral colored cardstock - brown , white ,kraft

and then I worked them out with My Little Shoebox's Sew Cute papers .

Here are the die designs that I tried out first -

I did not have many pre-conceived ideas for my first project

except that I was going to use some of the die cuts together

on this step center card and I knew I would want a dressform at least.

So from my random die cutting , I put a few designs layered up

and this center panel came together quickly .

Essentially, I used the oval frame and ribbon from the Cameo and Oval Frame die ,

the dressform from the Sewing Machine and Dressform die,

the heart for the ribbon center is from the Laundry Line die.

After I finished my center panel , I then decorated the rest of the card

with My Little Shoebox Handmade pp, cardstock stickers and journalling spots.

I snuck in a little kraft button on top of the heart button sticker -

cut with the Sewing Notions die .

This was sew much fun for me , and it was just mainly using glue and paper

and of course these adorable Cottage Cutz dies,designed by My Little ShoeBox .;)

Journaling Focus with MLSB

This week over at My Little Shoebox's blog 

we have a journaling focus with our monthly creations. 

One of my fave ideas is to use hidden journaling - 

and I've done it here simply - using a die cut journaling tag behind my main photo.

Do check out the MLSB  blog for more great ideas to journal on your pages. 

We also have a product swap with Imaginisce this month - & I've featured the following fun products on my layout : I-rock and glam rocks and fashion fabric flowers. 

Thank You , Imaginisce for swapping goodies with us!

Word is they are having Christmas in July over on the Imaginisce blog and you have a chance to snag an early gift for yourself so head on over there and leave a comment telling them MLS sent you on each post this week! Good Luck!

My Top 5 CHA picks & a fun reveal to come !

1. Doodlebug Design Inc's Baker's Twine & Baker twine patterned ALPHAS ! oh my ! 

I didn't realise until now about the alphas ! Very sweet ! 

2. Pebbles Inc's s Fresh Goods

- new discovery too ! 

3. Echo Park Paper Co. Happy Days collection.  

4. American Crafts' - Amy Tangerine's Line 

Should be perfect to scrap my teens ! 

5. WRMK 's Sew Stamper 

I wasn't so sure about this tool until I realised that each design comes pre-loaded with Black Ink ! A-ha moment ! 

That should make stamping out the stitched design on a layout easy peasy ?! 

I haven't forgotten Glitz Design's Dance in Sunshine 

That was hard keeping it to just 5 ! ;)

And for Singapore Scrappers , My Little Shoebox  CHA  Summer releases have already landed here ! woot ! woot ! 

pics via Laine's blog 

MLSB 's Roller flowers were a BIG HIT at CHA ! Must haves !!!!!! 

I have something fun headed this way -- soon ! 

Latest Aug 1st ! To be revealed . lol . 

Happy ! Happy !

 I have another layout created for the July ODBD Let Your Light Shine Scrapbook Challenge - 

create a layout of any size using at least one circle, ODBD stamps, and your favorite color or a color in your photo(s). 

Scrapping , crafting certainly has been helping my left ankle heal 

( faster too I dare say ! Lol ! ) 

 I thought I could do this layout at my Sat crop with Ms Piradee . 

I wanted to try out the big circle Crafters' Workshop template which she has . 

Fortunately, Piradee already had an extra cardstock misted up using the template .

At first, I thought I could use it with WP's Celebrate papers but after pushing paper around , I declared it was not to be . True enough , this layout can together quite easily with the BG Lauderdale pps the next day . ;) 


I spent the rest of  my crop time happily making cards 
with my new Cottage Cutz dies ,
trying them out on the Big Shot machine and discovering new stamp brands to love. 
Happy cropping times indeed ! 

& oh ! I brought along some homemade 
( not made by me but a dear church friend ) 
Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes with vanilla buttercream 
/ rashberry jam buttercream frosting. 
Just perfect timing everything was ! ;) 

Gotta love that orange Studio Calico mist , huh ? Just yummy ! 

I could get converted to using SC's Mister Huey's after this ,  now I understand . 

I used this Friends ODBD stamp for the journalling on misted cardstock ,

with the small circles CW template . 

( Alas , I was happily enabled after a quick visit to the LSS after the crop ! 

We were within walking distance . Too easy . ;) ) 

I'm sure I would be doing this more often - stamped journalling on paper ribbon strips . 

Really liked how it turned out . 

I masked off parts of the stamp that I didn't want to be stamped out using magic tape - a good way to divide up a bigger stamp I have now discovered . 

Lots of different circular elements I tried out on this layout too while I was well inspired by circles   - silver & gold bling , MR Kraft Doily cut up , Prima Rajah centers . 

Love the happy colors & prints of the BG Lauderdale for sure . 

In fact , now I know what other paper line I should go for post CHA Summer - 

Echo Park Paper's Happy Days - 

My kidlets do not love the vintage "old"  vibe at all - even if they are pretty. 

So it's young , bright  , bold & vibrant stuff for now . 

I can't finish up all my older or newer vintage , shabby chic lines

 so I will happily continue to use those . 

Webster's Pages Celebrate

Here's my altered acrylic frame which I made with the WP Celebrate Collection pack. 

A Quick share before i hit the road.

I'm off to a crop - what do you know - it's all because of a swollen ankle - I'm useless for other things ( read household chores or sitting at the comp for a long time, shopping ... ) - the best thing for me to do is to craft!! perfect excuse , huh ?  

- 'cos I cant sit all the time while crafting - 

I do have to stand then sit , sit & stand ( well you get the idea ...) 

Yup, So my ankle is very much better today but I still gotta limp along for now.
& very fortunately I drive - so you bet , it's easier to drive than to walk !
I did just that the 2nd day after to get to 200m for something . Sigh ! 

Some fussy cuttiing , Primas & Zva Creative crystals and it comes together quickly these projects ! ;) 

Cottage Cutz Dies - by MLSB

I was supposed to be out window shopping at our LSS this morning, 

( & presumably I WOULD NOT have brought back the new Authentique or even EP's Victoria Garden, teehee ) and was all prepared to have a long , leisurely lunch with a friend. Alas ,it was all not to be as I had injured my left ankle 

from a fall at home the previous day ! 

Instead , I was home when the postman brought happy mail ! 

My DT pack of Cottage Cutz arrived in the early afternoon and 

along with it were the new My Little Shoebox metal die designs to  coordinate with their latest collections ! 

I tried cutting out from the following designs - 

I haven't had soo much die cutting  fun in an afternoon , I tell yer ! 

Tools are such a game changer in crafting for me ! 

Here's a card sample , using Melissa Frances' papers, 

to show the versatility of the die/ designs . 

I had pre-made this card in anticipation of receiving the dies, 

with crinkled seam binding all attached too.

I was pretty sure I could easy add a dressform in coordinating paper , 

the sentiment uses MLSB tiny alphas. ;) 

I must confess ...

It's CHA Summer 2011 time 

and I do not have a long wish list ! 

- wait a minute , do I even have a wish list ?! lol

Last year, I managed to successfully cut my stash budget by half
and this year it oughta be half of last year's !
But I haven't always kept track and I am quite sure that some months
I simply spent way more than I really needed -
and I would have to thank successful consumer promos for that - A LOT!

Here's a true story -
I was about to tempt myself to get a Crafter's Workshop circle template just last week
after seeing dear Piradee's recent layout here.
I think my fave scrapper , Keisha Campbell , is fond of it too...
So I walked into one of our fave LSS' that was having a better than usual discount ,
right at store opening , not a soul in sight yet , save moi .
& I promptly asked the only salesperson there for her  opinion about getting this template -

& she simply said she didn't think it was worth getting ! WOW !
They are available as 12x12 or 6x6 templates - obviously the smaller template is almost half the price too .
Nope , she can't even recommend getting that one.
I walked out of the store empty handed that day . Touche !
Mind you this is the same gal who saved me $ on other occasions with her opinions of other templates in the past ! teehee !
Nothing is IMPossible, blogging friends !

So it's all good on the template department - cos Day 1 after CHA !
I woke up to find out that
Crafter's Templates have new designs !!! But of course !
& they have teamed up with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer at that for their latest releases !!!
Check out the designs here .
& here's a coupla of designs that have caught my eye -

What do you think ?
I suspect our dear German scrapper pal , Christiane , might like some of these too . teehee !

& I must confess - I know where most of my Tim Holtz & Prima masks are kept ( they are mostly together too ! ) but horrors I simply can't recall now where any of my Crafter's Workshop templates are !!!!
oh joy  !!!! I know I have at least the Flutterby one...

I am definitely on the look out for investments in tools, mediums ( perhaps ) - 

could be new punch designs , new die cut BRANDS ? 

( But wait , much as I LOVE Spellbinder's dies - why is it that I even hesitate to use them ! ) 

They are all new with tags intact ! gasp !!! 

I think the only kind of purchase that I've ever made with that problem. 

I never have that problem with clothes , or shoes, or bags .... lol 

My grand plan in the wake of Summer CHA releases is to try to stick to  just 2 complete lines for papers

 ( probably 2 brands- one to buy at the beginning of the mad season - like around now - and probably the other halfway or 3/4 ways through ... )

I definitely have some Glitz Design on my mind so far - 

It's reminding me that my signature color could be a touch of purple .... hey ! hey !

- and to pick out the hot on the market embellies offered by the myriad brands out there , 

and preferably at better than usual store discounts . We shall see ! 

Let me know what are your 2  top fave paper lines thus far,  if you can ! 

Check out the live coverage of CHA by Scrapbook.com ! 

Love it so far  ! 

The first photo shows -  a  booth that said - 

 "coming soon in 2012...Heidi Swapp"

OH MY !!!