FINALLY! Sun. Happy Dance! Happy daaance!

Oh. My. Gooodness! IS that sun? Actual- no joke- 80 degree sunny weather? I can't believe it! YAY! Time to go out and shoot shoot SHOOT! New York City in the summer is just the greatest- so much to do- most of it free- ya'll get on out there and enjoy!

Just Because card using  Punky Scraps Sketch by Camilla Dahlstrom
Materials: Bazzill Kraft paper, Memo and Summer Memories journaling tags, packaging from Elle's Studio, Studio Calico and Pink Paisley, Pink Paisley washi tape, Sassafras Lass alphas, Fiskars Abstract flower punch, My Little Showbox paper, Studio Calico Mister Huey "Piglet", Uniball white gel pen 

Here is a quick card using Elle's Studio. I just got their Savoring Summer kit- it's SO beautiful! Need to get started on the mini ASAP.

Here's a card interior view- now I need to find someone to give this to. :)

Yes I know it's crooked- that's on purpose- it's Punky!

Happy Memorial Day weekend. 

I am honoring my Brother Guarionex, my cousin Juan (Junior) and His Father Juan, my Uncle and his son Roberto, my cousin Rolando, my Uncle Nelson and Miss Claudia (can't forget you girlie!). Thank you guys- for keeping us safe, for putting your life on the line and for serving this country well. I am very proud to call you familia- hugs to all of you. I am so grateful you are all back home.

Memorial Day 2011- For those who didn't make it home.

MUCHOS SMOOCHES!!!!!!

Michelle

Spotlight on: Elle's Studio

I want to share a quick page I made using a few Elle Studio journaling tags from their beautiful "Handmade Layers" line.

First of all- how AMAZING is that new October Afternoon 5 & Dime line? Naturally I turned it around and used the more sedate polka dot side. I punched some of those pretty 1.5 inch details and saved them for a later project.

Lovable U
Materials: Elle Studio "Handmade Layers" date strips and journaling tags, October Afternoon 5 & Dime paper, Crate Paper Restoration and Portrait line papers, Sassafras Lass stickers (all the mini hearts I could find!), Studio Calico Alphas, Fiskars Large squeeze circle punch- I am LOVING those right now!, Martha Stewart die cut doily tags, Uni Ball white gel pen

For the photo window I used (gasp!) a craft knife. I'm finally getting the hang of it! The secret is to go sloooow and to turn the paper as much as possible for tight curves.

Turning the paper on a self healing mat can be quite difficult. It takes a few practice runs but it's possible.  Sharp corners were sanded down a bit with fine grain sand paper to even the circle's edge.
I also cut out the middle from that Martha Stewart doily- I'm seeing those everywhere lately!

Photos from Elle's Studio Blog

What I like the most about this line is the edge distressing that doesn't get dingy and dreary- you get the perfect amount of detail. The calendar tag is my favorite- I kept wanting to include it in every page I made recently.

I LOVE photos of Lola walking away from me.
I still can't get over how early she started to walk- 10 months! 

Have a great Thursday- if you are in NYC go out NOW- while the sun is still shinning. :)

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

When in doubt- REDO!

It is quite declasse to redo your scrapbook pages in certain circles. I never understood why- it's your work and you are improving with every page so why not?
I redo my pages ALL THE TIME! I find that I get better design perspective on a piece over time- perhaps that second patterned paper doesn't need to be there or maybe that photo can get printed at a larger size.
Here's an example: BEFORE Page (like it)

Camping Fun!
Materials: October Afternoon grid paper (circles are punched out and flipped over from the other side),
Cosmo Cricket Boyfriend alphas, American Crafts Meadow Thickers, DCWV Hittin' The Books stack- deer card, Fiskars cloud and medium circle squeeze punches, Jillibean Soup corrugated frame,  Maya Road leaf pins, ColorBok  tree and animal elements, Hoot pin from scrappy friend Amy (Thanks Amy!!) 

You'll have to excuse the faceless folk in these pages- the photos were taken from my cousin's facebook page and she used one of those little throw away cameras so the photos themselves have very little facial detail...
AFTER Page: (LOOOOVES IT!)

Camping Fun- 12 by 12
Materials: October Afternoon grid paper, Fiskars circle and cloud punches, American Crafts Meadow Thickers, Pink Paislee Soiree stamps (Banners and itty bitty stars) Hambly Studio blue woodgrain Washi tape, Uniball gel pen- black, Studio Calico Mister Huey in Sunshine, Maya Road wood button

I had to improvise since I'm a non driving city girl so I've never bought camping theme papers but YOU don't have to. Paper Issues has a drop dead gorgeous camping theme October Afternoon kit ready and waiting for you to make a mini book or a million scrap pages:

See? FUN! Go on and check out Paper Issues on Etsy!

Soiree stamps also available at Paper Issues shop!
They are SOOOOO WORTH IT!

Reasons you should feel free to REDO THOSE old pages you no longer like:

1. Your craft skills have improved! 

2. New scrappy goodies you bought (or MADE- WORK those SKILLZ gurrl!) match perfectly.

3. You reprinted the photos at a different size you like better.

4. "Someone" swiped your page (YAAAY!) and you want one for yourself

5. You feel like it!!! Why not!??? Just keep that old page so you can see how awesome you are right now.

Hope this was a fun read and got you to reopen those old scrap books. YOU are the master of your work- just don't go Bananas a la George Lucas on Star Wars- he should have left that first movie alone!!!

Gratuitous cutie patootie shot- are YOU ready for Father's Day?

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

Michelle

Design DON'Ts- When projects fall flat

Ahh the vicissitudes of crafty life! Just when you think you're really jamming you find perhaps the work needed more think time and less "stuff". How do other designers do it? How do they come up with so many awesome details month after month? No really- I need a step by step please!

Here are 2 additional pages made for Studio Calico NSD challenges. Has this ever happened to you? You come up with the concept, the layout and choose the elements thinking "OO this page a winner!!" only to have the actual final piece fall flat? That's what happened to both of these.

This is a piece where I thought the Orange/Turquoise color combo, funny kid photos and

use of silver AC ZING would make for a smashing page- but it looks crowded- how disappointing!  Plus the circle punch thing has been done (better) a zillion times. Plus- what's my HAIR doing there?? ARGH! This piece may look better when I shoot it in full sunlight- if  Brooklyn EVER sees the sun again that is!

Materials: Pebbles paper  and flag, American Crafts Zing in silver and yellow card stock, FiskarsCircle Squeeze punch Xl and Large, Crate Paper Portraits collection paper, Studio Calico exclusive stamps, Remember This Moment, Doily edge and Woodgrain background Uniball gel pen- white, Zakura gel pen- silver

This was a page the "Outside Inspiration" challenge by Waleska Nerris. I wanted to use that 

great Basic Grey Wander paper to signify the urban nature of this sunday antiquing run but

 the final result is dark, dreary and overwhelms the photos. Needless to say- not a winner.

Materials:  Making Memories Ledger print, Basic Grey Metropolitan paper, Ki Memories 

Weekdays black scribbles, Pebbles flag, K and Co wood flower- handmade collection 

I hope my latest crafty face plant gives you some ideas on what NOT to do.  I have started a notebook of scrap don'ts just for this kind of situation- without the funds to take a few graphic design classes I have to muddle through on my own by making mistakes but hey that's the fun part right?

In related news: I went to the Museum of Natural History and The Museum of American Crafts this week in search of inspiration and new ideas. I got a mighty SCREAM from Lola when she finally understood the dinosaur bones were a giant creature with great big jaws and a good talking to from a guard in the Crafts Museum worried Lola was about to pull down a quilt- did you know it's the year of the quilt? I didn't! I love quilts!
Random!!!

Toltec stone face at Museum of Natural History. Wow!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Using fabric on a layout

I got a sewing machine so I could learn to sew pillowcase style dresses for Lola as I love them. I also wanted to make her Alice in Wonderland apron for her first birthday.
Needless to say it hasn't happened- yet. But the machine gets used- a LOT- on paper. One day I WILL learn to sew but for now I'm happy to just know how to make a straight line.

For this page I cut some flowers off the fabric that was used to make Lola's dress (purchased online- have not been able to master the pillow case dress yet) I then stuck them onto the paper using Zip Dry glue- MISTAKE! Here's what I recommend- use that iron on adhesive webbing they use to make quilts- it makes sticking things and sewing them on paper much easier- this is what happens when you skip that crucial step:

I love this series of shots- it's very Lil Red Ridding Hood.
The fold from 1 year of storage in the bed linens closet has also been preserved- oops!

I like that the stitching around the flower outline is uneven but
some adhesive webbing would have kept that fabric stuck in place.

This project came together so quickly even I was surprised- Lily Bee Hello Sunshine and some K & Company Handmade alphas and we are good to go!

Hipstamatic iPod App strikes again!!! Love the sunshine filter effect you
get using the Jimmy lens and blanko film!

My favorite detail from this project.

This is my first real attempt at a 2 page layout with matching pages. I really liked feeling like I had more room to play with but I didn't run around trying to find more fiddly bits to add- I just wanted to showcase the fabric (and my lack of ironing skills).

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle