Sunday, July 31, 2011

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 ! 

Saturday, July 30, 2011

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. 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

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 .;)


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

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!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

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 ! 

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 . 


Monday, July 25, 2011

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 . 




Friday, July 22, 2011

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 ! ;) 

Thursday, July 21, 2011

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. ;) 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

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 !!!