A new layout with 2 of my FAVORITE techniques...

Hey all! I have a few favorite scrapbooking/crafting techniques that I just love to use, so I thought I'd share 2 of them with you today.

Here is a layout I did using another one of those Valentine photo cards I made, this time of my son Connor.



I love to make little collages on my layouts. They add so much texture and dimension and are super fun to do. I think it works best if you use a combination of paper elements and 3-D elements. For this one I used a bingo card, 2 different journaling spots, an acrylic crown, and a cute clip.



I also love to use gathers and ruffles on my projects. (like the crepe paper ruffles I used on the previous layout...) This is such a simple technique, but it adds so much to your page. I take a spool of ribbon, in this case I used some yummy blue seam binding and some twill, or cut a length of ribbon about double the actual length you want it to be after sewing. Then I machine stitch (but you could hand stitch it too) the ribbon to my page using either a zig-zag stitch or a straight stitch. The trick is to "fold and clump" the ribbon up as you stitch it down to create those fun ruffles. It's really simple and the WONDERFUL thing about it, besides how it looks, is the more imperfect the sewing the better! :) So no fear!!

You can find some of this yummy seam binding in my shop. Just go here to check out all the colors!

Got a favorite technique of your own? Love for you to share it with us! Leave a comment here for inspiration!

A Pretty New Layout

HELLO!!! Well I think I'm really back for good this time! :) I know, your snickering right now since I keep saying things to that effect, but there it is anyway! :) My 3 children have had the WORST stomach flu bug ever. It has lasted about 1 1/2 - 2 weeks. Not fun!! The poor kids! My little guy, my only chubby toddler, has lost so much of his baby chubs since being sick. I could just cry. (...but not for long...that fella is an eater, let me tell you, it won't take long for him to get back to normal once he is better.) You moms out there will know what I mean when I say I feel like my life lately has been nothing but puke and other lovely tummy related problems ;), so I am thrilled to be getting back to some crafty fun!!

So.... I thought I'd share this layout I made of my daughter Maddie. Remember those Valentine photo cards I made a while back? Well this is how I scrapbooked one for me to keep.
I know I am biased, but isn't she lovely! Maddie is just a doll, inside and out!

That cute little bracket card is one of the Bright and Funky Journaling Cards from my shop. I love to layer them and use them as embellishments as well as journaling spots. I also used a vintage hat pin tied with some lovely blue seam binding. (you can find the seam binding ribbon in the shop too!)

I wanted to show you this fun crepe paper trim I used too. I absolutely love it! It makes great ruffles on pages and cards, is so cute as a trim around banners and home dec projects, and can be turned into those cute little crepe paper rosettes. I've been making it to put on projects etc for about a year now, and I was kicking around the idea of making some for the shop. Let me know if you like it and would use it too! Those fun pink plastic letters are from Heidi Swapp-- LOVE THEM!

I've also been adding some new stuff to my online shop, finally! :) Some of the things I previewed here have started going in with lots more to come. As you know, I am hopelessly addicted to designing journaling cards. Well my hubby was out of town for a week (during the puking etc...sigh)so lets just say I have lots more to show you. :)